Wings of Ice
by KharmicHammer
Summary: Frozen - Modern AU Anna meets Elsa when they're both students working on an archaeology study of the Arendelle ruins. She's always dreamed of uncovering the past, but she never realized how personal this exploration would be. Sometimes life can change unexpectedly. Sometimes love gets a second chance. Elsanna/unrelated. Rated 'M' for future chapters- Fluff/Smut/Drama.
1. Chapter 1 - Legends and Interns

_Author's notes: First off, this is going to be Elsanna / not related, so DL/DR._

_Right, with that out of the way, this is a Modern AU, many of the familiar characters will be here, especially Elsa and Anna. Some things are pretty much right from the movie, others have been changed to fit the new setting. There are also going to be some flashbacks._

_And obviously, I don't own Frozen, Disney does._

_Thanks ahead of time for reading, and I hope you enjoy the story!_

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 1 - Legends and Interns

_\- 250 Years Ago -_

Hans wiped the blood from his eyes, mentally cursing his carelessness. He needed to get close to the Ice Witch, close enough that she wouldn't be able to fling more ice spikes at him. The last one barely missed taking an eye out entirely, and one before it had opened a long gash in his right arm. He could feel the blood dripping down his sleeve, making the grip on his sword slick. If he didn't finish this soon, he wouldn't be able to fight at all.

He could hear the last few soldiers left still fighting on the ground floor. They'd stayed behind to buy him time to reach Elsa, but he knew they'd never last against the ice monster the Frost Queen, as some of the troops called her, had raised to combat them. They were brave men, and desperate too. All of them had followed him in hopes of stopping the cursed woman who'd built the palace of ice high in the mountains.

When they'd learned that Elsa had kidnapped Anna, their Crown Princess, it only drove them harder. They were eager to bring her back. Unfortunately, that last part might be too late.

He glanced down at the lower floor of the ice palace and grimaced. Anna's still form lay in a spreading pool of blood. From this distance, he was unable to tell if his betrothed was still alive, but he could only hope. He tightened his hand on his sword. If she was dead...

"Surrender, Elsa!" he called, not really expecting her to, but limited on other options.

A flurry of ice shot over his head in reply, forcing him to duck further down behind the wall. He took a quick look around, spotting a crossbow one of the soldiers had dropped. Unfortunately, it sat in the middle of the room, too far out for him to reach. If he tried to grab it, Elsa would easily hit him with her ice blasts.

The floor shook with dull, thudding impacts from below, and Hans felt his stomach sink. That damnable ice creature was on its way back up. If it got here before he finished with Elsa...

He smiled grimly. Well, if that happened, the Southern Isles would have one less prince to vie for the throne. And Arendelle would remain locked in a permanent winter.

He gathered his courage and dashed for the crossbow, barely managing to grab it before a spike of ice passed by where his hand had been a moment before. He huddled down behind the remains of a fallen pillar and cursed. The string on the crossbow was intact, but in his rush he'd neglected to grab bolts for the weapon.

Such a simple mistake. Erik, the current favorite for the throne, would never have been so stupid. Even Martin, easily his dumbest brother, would have made sure that he had ammunition for it.

His glanced around for a solution before his eyes came to rest on an ice shard that had bounced off the wall behind him. He picked it up and, with some effort and a little pain in his injured arm, managed to situate it in the crossbow.

The footsteps grew louder, booming hollowly as the monster mounted the stairs. This plan was awful. He needed far too much luck. Even if the crossbow fired, even if he actually managed to hit his target, he could only hope Elsa would be vulnerable to her own ice. It was a terrible plan. But it beat being eaten by an ice monster.

"Yrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaghhhhh!" He yelled, charging out. He felt Elsa's ice tugging at the edges of his uniform, but kept going. A pale form rose up before him, the cold radiating from her in waves that matched her fury. Her hands shot out towards him, a faint blue-white glow surrounding them.

Hans lined up his crossbow and pulled the trigger, praying...

* * *

_\- Present day - _

"Come onnnnnnnn!" Anna wheedled, tugging on Hans' sleeve. "We're gonna be late at this rate."

"I'm not the one who just had to stop for that triple decker fudge cone," her boyfriend replied with easy humor. "And I'm certainly not the one who dropped it into the glovebox because her phone startled her."

"That was totally not my fault!" Anna fumed. "Ariel called, and I _had_ to talk to her. You know Eric just dumped her for that bimbo Ursula, just because she has a nice _'voice'_." She air quoted the last word. "She needed to talk. So I talked to her. Besides, you're the one who set the phone to vibrate. It startled me, so really, if you look at it, this is all your fault, Hans."

"Whatever you say," he said, purposely slowing his pace just to frustrate her she was sure.

"And after that, I had to ask Mulan to check on her. And she wanted to tell me all about her trip home. Did I tell you, she saw Gaston? Apparently, he didn't even play one game before throwing out his knee. The idiot was partying before his first game and got drunk and fell off a table." She giggled savagely at the thought of her ex from high school screwing up in such a stupid way. Especially after the way he'd dumped her right before Homecoming in their junior year. Well, if only he could see her now! Popular, lots of friends, getting A's in all her classes, dating a really hot guy who didn't push her faster than she was ready to go. He'd be so jealous, he'd certainly- "Ooooh, sandwiches!"

She was busy stuffing the second one in her mouth when she finally noticed Hans' laughter. He grabbed one for himself and handed her another. "Okay Black Hole, I suppose we can make some time for food."

"So not fair!" She fumed, grinning all the while. _Gaston_ certainly never had been considerate enough to get her food like this. "I am not a black hole."

"You're more like a race car, full of energy and drive." He smiled at her.

"Not an improvement!"

"Great white shark?"

"Hans!" She giggled when she felt his arm slide around her waist, and twisted slightly to deny him the contact. "I don't know why you're trying to take liberties with a girl you just compared to a gravitational anomaly, a car, and a carnivorous fish."

"Maybe because I won't be seeing my little eating machine for quite a while after this?" She let him hug her this time, her heart fluttering a bit. "You're going to get the internship, we both know it."

"Ohmygod, don't jinx it!" Anna thumped her fist against his chest. "They haven't announced it yet. They could still change their minds. Or the funding could get pulled. Or a volcano could erupt. You never know!"

"A volcano, really?" Hans raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You're not more worried about the aliens landing?"

"Hans, you know I don't believe in aliens. Or magic."

"This from the girl who wrote that song about true love for the talent show?"

"Ugh, please tell me you deleted that vid." Anna grimaced, recalling the time her friends egged her into trying out for the college talent festival. "I don't think anyone who listened that could ever believe in love again. I am never going to write anything after having sushi and ice cream again." She declared proudly.

"Most people know better than to try that even once, Anna."

"Most people are boring. Life should be an adventure."

"Yes, and you spent most of the next day reliving that little 'adventure' in the bathroom."

"Are you trying to make me mad?"

"Everyone needs a hobby." He gently elbowed her. "Now get your game face on, here comes the head of the department."

Anna turned towards the message board, eagerly watching the elderly woman tack the sheet of paper to it. The professor barely finished posting it before the board was mobbed with eager students, all crushed together trying to read the list. Anna wormed her way through the crowd, ducking under the arm of one rather tall boy. Her eyes ran down the list.

No.

Nope.

Uhn uh.

No again.

_Anna Frostad._

Nope.

Nonono.

_Wait, what?_

She looked back up the list. There it was, in plain font - _'Anna Frostad._' She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Just to make sure. No mistake, her name was on the list! She made it! She was going to Norway!

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod, YES!" She cheered, jumping into the air and bumping her head into someone's arm. "Owwww."

She worked her way back through the packed mass of students. Getting out was harder than going forward, seeing as most of the others hadn't had a chance to review the list yet. Still, she persevered and managed to make it back to Hans. "Well? Did you get it?" He asked her, a slight nervous note in his voice.

"I bumped my head!" She told him proudly. He was supposed to be happy for her, so why did he look so confused? _Oh wait, duh, Anna you told him the wrong thing. _"Wait, yes, I got it! I'm going to Norway, Hans! I'm totally going to be an archaeologist!"

"My little Indiana Jones!" He beamed at her and kissed her cheek.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just compare me to a guy named after a dog, and just be happy."

"You know you like his movies too. I mean, you only make me watch them at least once a month."

Anna glared at him. "Don't think I've forgotten that you tried to get me to watch that other one. Getting nuked in a fridge? Aliens? I told you I don't believe in aliens." She shivered. "I had to bleach my brain after seeing that abomination once."

"And a grail or a box that shoots magic face melting light is better?" Hans teased her.

"You just don't understand." Anna humphed, stamping her foot. Then the realization of what just happened hit her fully. "Ohmygod, I so need to pack. And shop. I need warm clothes, don't I? I'm going to Norway! I'm going to need warm clothes. They'll have chocolate there, right? And pizza? And sandwiches?

"It's Norway, not another planet, Anna." Hans was laughing now. "They'll have pizza."

* * *

_\- Later that night -_

Anna sighed softly as Hans slid his hand up her side. Her friends were busy with the party and not paying much attention to the couple on the couch. She was feeling so happy right now, so she decided that maybe he'd earned a little more than just a few kisses. After all, she had dropped her ice cream in his car...

Okay, so maybe a little touching was on the table. Hans wasn't Gaston, he wouldn't try to push for more than that. But just a few. That was all. Besides, she'd earned a little fun, herself.

She, Anna Frostad, was going to Norway! She'd been selected as one of only six undergrad students to join the team researching the castle at the Arendelle site. In less than a week's time, she was going to be a real-life archaeologist!

Ever since she'd been a little girl, she'd loved stories, especially true ones. Her mom would read her all kinds of books, and by the time she was finishing high school, she knew what she wanted to do with her life. She was going to be an archaeologist and help discover new stories too.

And now, her life was on track. Best college she could find? Check. Internship that would eventually lead to her dream job? Check. Boyfriend who was way better than her loser ex from high school? Check. Lots of friends? Check.

_Speaking of boyfriends..._

Regretfully, she pushed Hans' hand away when it had climbed a bit too high for her. She was no Snow, who had dated her way through the whole football team. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't even Jasmine, who'd run off her her badboy halfway through senior year.

Anna wanted more than just a boyfriend. She wanted love. True love. The kind that drove people to write epic stories. She looked over to Hans, who'd managed to push himself away with a frustrated groan. She smiled. She hadn't even had to say anything. He'd understood her, and despite clearly wanting more, he was willing to go along with her desires.

_Okay Anna, maybe the love thing is going just fine._

A cheer erupted from the game going on in the other room. Anna stood up and peeked in - sure enough, the other boys had started another round of poker. She gasped when she saw that clothing was definitely optional.

_Yeah, I've had enough party for one night._ She blushed a deep, deep red when she ducked into the room to grab her coat. _Yup, more party than I want right now!_

* * *

_\- A few days later -_

The remaining days passed far too slowly for Anna. She was packed and ready to go. She'd practically bought out the whole winter section of Old Navy, for god's sake. Books, chocolate, clothes, chocolate, new computer courtesy of her proud parents, chocolate, other supplies, chocolate. Anna was ready to go.

So of course the morning she was set to leave, her alarm clock decided it had had enough. She even managed to sleep through the first three frantic calls from Hans. Finally, rapid knocks woke her from a deep sleep, and she sat up, her eyes widening when she saw what time it really was. She threw on her clothes, gathered her bags, and dashed out the door, slamming into Hans and spilling her bags all over the hallway.

"Anna, what happened? How could you oversleep on your big day?" He asked her as he helped her gather her things and repack them quickly.

"My alarm clock died. This is all your fault!"

"How is this one my fault? If anything, I'd say a higher power granted that poor clock some mercy and put it out of its misery. I've heard stories from Ariel about how you'd slam that thing."

"Yeah, but you jinxed it. You said I'd get the internship _before_ they posted the list. You totally jinxed me, Hans."

"You can't be serious." He stared at her for a moment before hiding a laugh with his hand.

"What?"

"Mmmmphhhh!" He sputtered into his hand.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttt?" She growled at him.

"Anna, you have bedhead."

She reached up, feeling errant strands of hair all over the place. "How bad is it? Be honest with me." Before he could say anything, she threw up a hand to stop him. "No, wait. Don't tell me. It's bad, isn't it? Terminal. I'm going to have to amputate."

"Slow down there, Marie Antoinette. You can put the guillotine away." He reached up to help her fix the mess. Taking one side each, they quickly braided her hair into two simple braids. "See? All better now."

"Thanks." She smiled at him.

"Now, let's get you to the airport before leprechauns run off with your plane or something."

"Are you trying to make me lose this internship, Hans Southisle?"

"Never." He kissed her. "I'm not thrilled about my girlfriend being halfway around the world, but I want you to have this. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity." He grinned crookedly. "Besides, maybe this way, I can get back to my own grad classes. Professor DeVille keeps saying she'll feed me to her dogs if I miss one more lab because I'm helping you, and she's starting to sound like she means it."

"I'd worry more about Professor Jaffar. That pet snake of his is creepy." She shivered. "And his parrot is just plain rude."

Hans shrugged. "Look on the bright side, one of these days, he'll forget to close the lid on the snake's tank, and the bird problem will be solved, at least."

"Hans!" She choked on a laugh. "That is so not funny."

"Oh please, you can't tell me you're not picturing a snake with an Iago-sized lump trying to slither back into its cage."

"I'm not."

"It's stuck in the doorway, the Iago-lump stopping it from getting back into its tank."

"La la la la. Not listening." She closed her eyes, trying to hide her smile while she plugged her ears with her fingers.

"The snake burps and feathers fly out."

"Not listening!" She felt his hands take hers and gently pull them away from her face.

"This is the Anna you need to show them. If you can be like this, they'll take one look at you and fall in love with you." He smiled softly at her. "And just in case, here's something to help you stack the deck." Hans passed her a folder. "Reading material for the plane."

"What is it?"

"Just some info on the other students at the site. I called in some favors from my bro at the registrars office. Get to know them before you get to know them."

"Thank you, Hans." She gave him one final kiss before getting in the waiting taxi. Soon enough, she'd be leaving New York and on her way to her new life in Norway!

* * *

_\- Later, somewhere over the Atlantic - _

Anna flipped through the pages of the folder, too excited to sleep, despite several urgings from the flight attendants. She was on the way, past the point of no return. A brand new expedition beckoned, and she'd be leading the way, going boldly where...

Okay, 'where a bunch of other students, several professors and lots of dead guys had gone before' didn't sound all that impressive, but still. It was the principle of the thing. She had an image to uphold.

The more she read, the more she wanted to meet them all. Professor Weselton ('not Weaseltown!' Hans had scrawled on the paper) was from all rumors a fairly easygoing instructor. He liked jokes and tried to make all the students feel at home. Unfortunately, he wasn't that great at handling change, hence his semi-exile from university politics. She noted that he'd written one book already about the Arendelle ruins and, according to rumors, was busy on the second.

His two grad students were likewise fascinating. Kristoff Bjorgman was writing his thesis on the lifestyle of the nomadic reindeer herders who supplied meat to the castle and town. He had some theories and was hoping the site could provide answers. Plus, Anna decided he was pretty cute in a dopey sort of way. Not that she was interested like that - she had Hans, after all - but still.

Elsa Lynse, on the other hand, was almost a complete mystery. Hans hadn't been able to dig up much information on her. Her records were apparently sealed from some deal made by her parents when she first enrolled. Her thesis was on the mythology of the site, something Anna was very interested in also. Added to the almost total lack of other facts about her, it made Anna extremely curious to meet her.

The other students were more or less familiar to her. She'd had classes with all of them at one point or another over the past two years. She'd be the newest and youngest of the undergrads working the site, but she didn't let it get her down. There were only three others, and two of them would be returning to New York for graduation when the next semester was finished.

All in all, Anna was excited. Two grad students meant two projects she could help with, and two people who could help her in return. An easygoing, funny professor certainly sounded better than the mean old woman Hans was stuck studying under. And the castle they were researching was amazing! Old paintings, a library that was virtually intact, mysterious ruins in the forest! It was just like something from the stories her mother told her as a child.

She reread the files, but the second review took far less time than the first, and she still had another two hours of flying before she changed planes in London. She debated sleeping, but memories of the horrible bedhead she'd suffered this morning kept her awake. She didn't want to frighten her new future friends, after all. She pulled out Professor Weselton's book and started reading.

The next two hours passed rapidly, and before she knew it, the plane started its descent towards London. Anna pressed her face against the window, not wanting to miss a single glimpse of the city and regretting that she hadn't scheduled a longer layover so she could explore for a little bit. That big ferris wheel, for example, looked fun. Plus, she was in Europe now. She wanted to try some real European chocolate.

What? The airline food sucked. She needed to get the taste of it out of her mouth.

* * *

_\- Later still, in Norway - _

Anna stepped out of the airport, disappointed that the earth hadn't shifted. She was here at last, her adventure officially underway. It deserved a more monumental recognition than being elbowed out of the way by a rather portly looking man in a chef's hat muttering something about crab cakes in french.

She took the opportunity to call Hans, but it went to voicemail. Checking the time, she saw that he'd be running his lab session for Professor DeVille right about now. _Damn, this time difference is going to take some getting used to._ She settled for leaving several text messages for him, telling him all about her flight. She figured she could try him tomorrow before her ride to the site arrived.

Anna grabbed her bags and hurried towards the hotel she was staying at for the night. While not the best one around, she figured she wouldn't be stalked by creepy twins or chased by a guy with an axe. And if she wanted to watch a movie, well, Ariel was thousands of miles away, so her ridiculous ban on the _Shining_ didn't count here. She dumped her bags in the room, and set out to explore Oslo. First priority, getting some real food. After all, she was going to be here for at least the next six months, and hopefully a year more if she managed to impress Professor Weselton. She'd have to get used to the local food, and the sooner she started, the better.

After finding a nice restaurant within her budget and happily trying about half the menu, Anna decided to try calling Hans again. Still no answer. She left another message, then crashed on the bed. All at once, jet lag caught up with her. Jet lag ran her over with a tank, then backed up to finish the job. She passed out, still in her clothes.

The next morning, an unfamiliar alarm jolted her awake, followed shortly by a call from the desk. She stumbled through her usual morning routine and made it down to the lobby for breakfast. Her eyes popped at the selection of complimentary pastries sitting on a small table on the side of the room. She grabbed a plate and piled on at least one of each. The amazing thing was, they tasted even better than they'd looked.

Anna finished her breakfast and retrieved her bags from the room. She knew she could just wait there, but she wanted to be in the lobby. She was scheduled to be picked up 'late morning' - nothing more exact than that - and she had no intention of missing her ride.

'Late morning' turned into 'late afternoon', and was looking to grow into 'late evening' when a battered old Volkswagen pulled up out front. The hotel staff shot worried looks at the oil dripping from underneath the car, and Anna couldn't resist staring at it. None of the doors matched the paint of the car itself, or even each other. There was duct tape holding the trunk shut!

"Figures," Anna muttered, standing and stretching before gathering her bags. She had just turned back towards the door when a boy got out of the car and waved to her. She recognized him from the picture Hans gave her. Kristoff.

He looked a bit scruffier than his photo, but in a good way, Anna decided. He moved with a lazy ease, nothing like the stiff, almost formal way of walking Hans used. And his smile was warm and welcoming. He waved again, making sure she knew he was here for her and walked over to her. "Hi! You must be Anna. I'm Kristoff." He extended his hand for her to shake, then noted the collection of bags she carried. "Oh sorry, let me help you with that."

"Thanks. I'm Anna, but you already said that." Anna passed him a few of her bags, wincing when he put them in the trunk with a loud thump. She set the ones she carried in there with more care. He slammed the trunk down and grabbed a roll of duct tape, tearing off a new piece and slapping it over the latch.

"Sorry about Betsi here. Our usual van broke down the other day, so we're having to make do. Betsi was all we had."

"Oh it's fine. She, uh, she has character! Yeah, character!" Anna sat down in the front seat.

"She's a rusty pile of shit." She laughed along with him. "Seriously, I am sorry I'm so late. I tried to call, but cells only work about ten percent of the time out at Arendelle."

"It's okay, really. I appreciate you coming all the way here to pick me up."

"Yeah, well, it's late so we're going to stay with some friends along the way for tonight, and I'll have you there tomorrow morning." Anna was about to object when he kept going. "Don't worry, I cleared it with Weaseltown. Plus, he's not even on site right now anyway. He's off wrangling up some more supplies for us."

"You shouldn't call him that!" Anna said. "I mean, that's what I heard. Everyone says he doesn't like it. I wouldn't like it either, even if it does look like it should be Weaseltown. Hmmm, Weaseltown." She giggled. "It is kinda fun to say."

"Sorry, I guess I should set a better example. You shouldn't get in trouble with him because of me."

"What happened?"

"He won't approve my current thesis. He says that reindeer just aren't as interesting as people. I tried to point out that without reindeer, the people in the castle couldn't eat. Plus I want to show how important to trade they were."

"Oh." 'Oh' was a nice, safe, neutral word. On the one hand, she liked Kristoff. He was nice and kind and fun, and adorable in a dorky kind of way. On the other hand, she needed Professor Weselton to like her so she could stay and live out her dream.

Still, 'Weaseltown' was pretty fun to say.

* * *

_Next Chapter: Meet Elsa!_


	2. Chapter 2 - Hot Chocolate

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 2 - Hot Chocolate

_\- Later -_

Anna gasped when she saw the inn Kristoff promised they'd be staying at for the last night of their trip. She'd wondered why he called it that instead of a hotel, but now that she could see it, she understood. 'Inn' was perfect. This 'inn' was more 'inn'-like than any other 'inn' she'd ever seen. It was the epitome of 'inns'.

Puffs of smoke danced merrily from the chimney on one side of the main building, and wisps of steam rose from another, larger chimney on a second one. A small sign hung above the wide, welcoming doorway, handcarved letters announcing the name of the establishment.

'Oaken's Spa and Trading Post' the sign proudly proclaimed. A smaller sign in one of the windows encouraged her to 'Try our winter special! Hot chocolate made fresh!' Frost crusted the windows, finishing the illusion of perfect comfort the buildings projected.

Kristoff pulled Betsi into the lot and helped Anna out. He didn't bother locking the doors. After watching Kristoff take the pliers out of the ignition (Anna didn't want to ask), she was sure that any thief who stole Betsi would probably not only return her, but also donate some cash on general principle.

He led Anna up the stairs and opened the door, a small bell on the upper corner jingling cheerfully. A welcome rush of heat rolled over them as they stepped out of the cold winter air. The smell of wood smoke and baking bread drifted towards her, and she had to stop herself from rushing about to find the souce of the delicious scents.

"Hoohoo! Kristoff" A large, happy man enfolded her companion in a hug. Before Anna could react, she found herself subjected to the same. "Who is this? A new girlfriend?"

Anna blushed and shook her head, freeing herself from the hug and extending her hand. "No, I have a boyfriend already." She smiled widely at him. "I'm Anna."

"Anna!" He shook her hand and tapped the side of his head while he repeated her name. "Anna. I'll remember that. I'm Oaken! Any friend of Kristoff's is a friend of mine. Here, sit, sit." He motioned to one of the stools in front of the counter. "You must be cold! I'll put on some hot chocolate and we can get you all warmed up."

Hot chocolate! "Oaken, I think I'm in love."

"Hoooo, I don't think my husband would be happy to hear that." The large man chuckled. "Your boyfriend might object, too." He waved absently towards her. "Get comfy, Miss Anna. Kristoff already booked rooms for you guys, so I know you have time. I guess you're part of that university team up at Arendelle?"

She nodded, a bit shocked by the 'my husband' bit, but managed to remember her manners. "You really don't have to make a fuss, Mister Oaken."

"Just Oaken," he chided. "And here at Oaken's we treat friends like family!"

"Well, Just Oaken, in that case, I'm Just Anna." She grinned. "And yes, I'm part of the team! I just arrived."

"I knew it!" Oaken laughed. "All you students end up here from time to time."

"Because it's the only place within an hour's drive of the site," Kristoff whispered to her under his breath. "Non-Betsi drive," he amended at her questioning glance.

"Here you go, Just Anna." Oaken placed a large, steaming mug in front of her. "Our famous winter-only special, Oaken's Homemade Hot Chocolate!" She raised the mug and took a sip.

_Oh. My. God._ Chocolate this good had to be a sin of some kind, right? The rich, sweet flavor danced across her tongue. She could taste the milk mixing with the chocolate in just the perfect amount. Even the heat was oh so right. Hot but not burn-your-tongue hot, she could feel the warmth spreading through her.

"Oaken, this, wow!" Okay, verbs were definitely going to be a problem if she kept drinking this.

"Hoohoo, hooked another one!" He chuckled merrily.

Later that evening, Anna found herself enjoying another specialty of the inn. With a sigh, she leaned back on the wooden bench, letting the steam of the spa soak into her. All the tension from her trip vanished, drained out of her by this glorious sauna. Knots she didn't know she had dissolved from her muscles as she soaked. God, even if she had to walk, she was coming back here again. Hot chocolate and a hot sauna. Life didn't get better than this.

It wasn't until she finally made it to bed that night that she realized she hadn't called Hans at all today.

* * *

_\- The next day -_

Elsa Lynse sighed and straightened, dabbing some more sunscreen on her face. If she wasn't careful, she tended to burn even now in the winter. Her pale complexion didn't make working outdoors easy. Still, she loved it.

The castle here at Arendelle was an endless source of fascination. The locals said it had been a prosperous trade center for centuries, until one year, when an evil Ice Queen froze the whole area for decades. By the time people had returned to the region, the castle had languished in obscurity, forgotten by most of the population. Even now, the older residents of the nearby town refused to visit, muttering darkly about curses and the return of the Ice Queen.

Elsa loved talking with them. Grandpa Kai and Grandma Gerda, as she fondly referred to them, were her favorites. They told stories about a monster made of snow that supposedly roamed the North Mountain, preying on unwary travellers who strayed too far on dark winter nights. How the prince from the south broke the eternal winter, returning summer to the land at the cost of his life. How the evil Queen stole the princess away to her icy fortress and drained the very lifeblood from her so she could live forever.

After visiting every week or two for almost three years now, the elderly couple had practically adopted Elsa as a surrogate daughter. Their own children grown and living comfortably on their own, they relished Elsa's visits. Gerda especially loved talking with the younger woman, and she always had a warm welcome ready for Elsa.

Elsa was sure that they were also secretly pleased that their stories would live on, immortalized forever in her journal, and, hopefully soon, an actual book. It was the least she could do to repay the couple for their kindness. She already had the dedication for the book planned out and ready to go. She just needed one more really powerful story to cap it off. Something epic.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like she'd be able to visit her friends this weekend. Professor Weselton had left two days ago, taking one of their two vans (Elsa refused to acknowledge Betsi as anything more than a deathtrap waiting to spring) down on the long trip to Steinkjer to pick up more supplies. That meant the site was in her hands. Hers and Kristoff. And since he was off to retrieve the newest member of their team, Elsa was stuck here.

So, if she was to be stuck here, she might as well be productive. She gathered one of the books they'd recovered from the castle and sat down to read it. After only an hour, she put it aside, on top of a small pile she called the 'Kristoff pile.' This book had been a record of the kingdom's ice trade. Dry, boring statistics about how much ice a reindeer could haul. Definitely a Kristoff book.

Elsa yawned and stretched, deciding to tour the site and check in with their undergrads. After over a year together, they didn't really need her supervision, but it would give her something to do until Kristoff eventually made it back.

Speak of the devil, she heard the familiar coughing, backfiring wreck that was Betsi. Granted, people in Australia could probably hear that miserable pile of rust that masqueraded as a car. Still, she found she was excited. In a few minutes, he'd pull in and she'd get to meet the new student.

Betsi sputtered to a stop amid a cloud of black exhaust and Kristoff got out, greeting her with a wave. He walked around and opened the passenger door. Elsa caught a flash of red hair for an instant before a tray full of cups slammed into her, drenching her with...

...Hot chocolate?

* * *

"Ohmygod, I'm so sorry!" Anna could NOT believe that just happened. She'd bought a whole tray of hot chocolate with her, wanting to make a good impression with her new classmates. And now, thanks to her lack of grace, that good impression was currently dripping all over the tall platinum blonde standing in front of her.

Fortunately for her, the long slow ride in Betsi had let the drinks cool to a heat barely above room temperature. Still, this was a disaster. A catastrophe. A debacle. A dis-tastr-acle. "Stupid stupid stupid." The blonde arched a chocolate-covered eyebrow at her. "Not you. I don't mean you. I should have thought this through. Hot chocolate that's not hot anymore is pointless. I mean, who would order something called lukewarm chocolate? And now you're wearing it. So dumb." That eyebrow rose further; why would her mouth not shut up already? "Gah! Not you again, I'm the dumb one, you're gorgeous... Wait, what?"

Anna was vaguely aware of Kristoff standing to one side, his mouth hanging open as he tried to keep up with the verbal torrent spilling out of her. Meanwhile, the blonde's eyes had widened in shock, her whole body frozen in the act of trying to clean off some of the drink.

"I cannot believe I just said that." _Okay brain, any time you want to take control back is fine, really._ "I'm sorry again. I shouldn't have. Not that you're not gorgeous - you totally are!" _Stop now! While we still have some dignity!_ "Okay, I need to stop saying that. You're Anna, I'm beautiful. No, that's not right. I'm Anna, you're beautiful." _Shut. UP!_ "Anna!" She managed to gasp out. "I'm Anna!"

The blonde covered her mouth with one hand, no doubt hiding a frown at the insane babbling idiot in front of her, Anna was sure. A musical voice sounded from behind that hand. "I'm Elsa. It's... interesting... to meet you, Anna."

Anna groaned. Just perfect, not only did she spill a whole tray of drinks all over this poor girl, but the girl turned out to be the other grad student she'd be spending the next six months studying under. And of course, because she was Anna, she had to go and make herself out to be a spaz on top of that.

The blonde blinked, clearing more of the chocolate from her eyes. "Kristoff, can you show her around while I go change? Her room's number three." She grimaced, wiping off some more of the cooling liquid. "I need a long shower."

"Please tell me I'm dreaming." She muttered.

"I wish I could."

"That really just happened? I word-vomited all over my new boss after spilling a drink tray on her?"

"Yup."

"Why can't the earth ever just open up and swallow me when I need it to?" She groaned.

"Look on the bright side." Kristoff tried to cheer the depressed redhead.

"What bright side?"

"You literally can't do any worse. I mean, if nothing else, you're out of hot chocolate to throw on people."

"Seriously, is there a dramatically high cliff I can toss myself off of? I'd settle for a moderately high one, even." Anna let Kristoff lead her away.

* * *

Elsa peeled off her sodden shirt and examined it. She sighed and tossed it aside. Another for the rag pile. The chocolate had thoroughly stained the shirt, ruining it. A short inspection later and her bra joined the shirt on the floor. Her jeans followed. God, how much hot chocolate had that ditzy redhead thrown on her? At least her panties would be salvageable after a few thorough trips through the washing machine.

She grabbed an older towel from her dirty laundry pile, not wanting to ruin a new one of those as well. Wrapping it around her body, she walked to the small bathroom she shared with the other girl on the site, Jane.

_Anna will be sharing with me now, too._

Elsa paused. Where the hell had that thought come from? Chalking it up to one more weird little event in a day already full of weirdness, she shut the bathroom door and started heating the water for the shower. Soon enough, a pleasing steam rose from the shower and she stepped in.

Elsa groaned as the hot water sieved over her, washing away the sticky chocolate from her skin. She never understood how some people could consider this too hot. It got rid of all the dirt and grime and stress of a long day like nothing else. Though to be fair, heat and cold had never really bothered Elsa that much. Sure, she could feel the cold, but she never _got_ cold. Likewise, heat just slid right off her.

Right now, she needed that. She needed the hot water to take away all the crazy that had just fallen out of Betsi and into her life. She needed the heat to distract her brain from the debate currently raging inside.

_She called me beautiful._

_I know. I was there._

_She said I was gorgeous._

_Yes, she did._

_How long has it been since someone said that to us?_

_Gerda always tells me how pretty we are, does that count?_

_I meant someone our age._

_Adam Prince._

_Female someone, idiot._

_Then... since Belle._

_Ugh._

_Right. We didn't need to remember that._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Sooooooo... Anna..._

_She's crazy._

_A little crazy can be a good thing._

_I hate bringing her up again, but remember Belle? She sang. To the furniture. In french. Plus, Anna is a student._

_So are we._

_You know what I mean._

_..._

_It still felt good when she said that to us, didn't it?_

_Yes._

_..._

_You're not going to do anything about it, are you?_

_Conceal, don't feel, remember?_

_Yeah, yeah._

_We have a good life going here, let's not mess it up, okay?_

_I'm not letting this go._

_Didn't think you would._

_Can we call this one a draw for now? We need to finish this shower, our fingers look like raisins._

_Deal._

Elsa shut off the water, letting the last drops bring her back to reality. Conceal, don't feel. No more stupid mistakes. She'd give the weird redhead another chance. After all, it had probably been nothing more than nerves and embarassment over a silly accident. So really, there was nothing for her to worry about, right?

No need to peek over the walls she'd so carefully built.

Conceal, don't feel.

* * *

Anna sat in the small lounge with Kristoff while the older boy jotted some numbers down in a battered ledger. She hadn't realized he did more on the site besides research and writing his thesis. He was also in charge of accounting for the team. He had a good head for numbers, and probably would have made a fine accountant, but he wanted to be a historian. Even if his passion currently involved figuring out how many blocks of ice Arendelle exported on average each month.

Anna had her own project. She needed to find a way to become invisible when she inevitably ran into Elsa again. Okay, that was a bit much. She just needed to avoid Elsa. Not talk to her so that she wouldn't make a fool of herself again.

For six months.

"Mmmmmmrrrrrrrghghghghghh." She let out a loud, frustrated growl into one of the pillows.

"Anna."

"What is it, Kristoff? I'm trying to wallow in misery here."

"Wallow away, just please don't kill our pillows. We don't have enough as is." He set down the notepad and turned to face her. "Look, Anna, it really will be okay. Elsa's a really nice person, she won't hold it against you. She'll give you another chance, don't worry."

"She hates me already, Kristoff!"

"Elsa doesn't hate anyone. Just... take it easy and talk to her."

"I'll make a fool of myself again."

"More than you already did?" He asked wryly.

"Trust me, if anyone can find a way to do it, it's me."

"Relax, things will work out." He smiled at her. "She'll get used to you. You guys will have plenty of time to get to know each other, since you'll be working in the library with her."

At that, Anna's stomach started doing flip-flops. One the one hand, she would get to work in the library! That had been her secret dream for the site, but she'd always figured she'd have to work here at least a year before she got there. All those books to restore and read and share... It was going to be awesome!

On the other hand, she could already see the crumbling ruins of Project: Avoid Elsa. She'd be stuck working with the blonde every day. All sorts of exciting new ways to look like a spaz. Worse, since they'd be dealing with the books, they'd have to talk with each other. And if today's trainwreck of a conversation had proved, Anna needed to get her brain and her mouth on the same page.

So Anna decided that the first and most important thing would be a new plan. Step 1: apologize to Elsa for, well, everything. Step 2: show her why Anna Frostad was the perfect choice to work in the library! Step 3: Not screw up anymore.

Right.

Simple.

* * *

_\- The next day -_

"Good morning!" A cheerful Anna waved to Elsa as she dashed into the small room the blonde had set up as an informal study-slash-reading room. "I'm sorry again about yesterday, I was just so excited, I-"

_Whumph!_ Elsa winced as the redhead, too focused on her, tripped over a stack of books, depositing them and herself in a jumbled mess all across the floor.

"Owww," Anna was rubbing her head where she'd bumped it on the side of the couch. Elsa had to work hard to hide her giggle. At least the girl was trying. She'd apologized, and she really did seem like it was a case of simply being to eager. Not her fault if she was a bit clumsy. _And maybe it's a bit my fault, too. I could have straightened up this room better. Made it look presentable._ Elsa glanced around at the piles of books strewn all over. _Okay, presentable is a bit too much work, I could have at least gotten to 'not a tripping hazard.'_

She extended her hand, helping the redhead to her feet. "Sorry Anna, I guess I should have warned you about this place."

"I probably would have tripped anyway." Anna grinned at her. "Hans says I can trip over air without even trying."

"Hans?"

"My boyfriend."

"Oh." Elsa tried to hide her disappointment. It really shouldn't have been a surprise. Of course a girl as cute as Anna would have a boyfriend. And at least she was finding out about it now, rather than later.

"So... Kristoff said I'd be here with you, but I'm kind of at a loss on what exactly we'll be doing."

"Here." Elsa grabbed one of the smaller stacks of books as well as a small notepad and dumped it on the table in front of the redhead. "We're doing a preliminary inventory. You need to skim over these and write a short note saying what they're about and who wrote them and when, if possible. After that, try to sort them by topics." She pointed to various stacks along the east wall. "That one's for economics and inventory records. Histories and biographies are here, fiction's next to them. The 'Kristoff' stack is next, that's anything specifically to do with reindeer or ice hauling. And finally, there's the miscellaneous pile. If you're not sure, dump it there and we'll get back to it after the initial review."

"Okay!" Anna chirped brightly.

Elsa picked up her own book, opening it to the marked page she'd left. Anna seemed genuinely happy to be here, and surely she'd be able to handle this assignment.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Anna pored over the books, her earlier embarrassment already long forgotten. She devoured one volume after another, her only regret not being able to take time and fully enjoy them right now. Even the economics ones were fascinating! In her mind's eye, she could see a picture of what life in Arendelle must have been like centuries ago, and she couldn't wait to return to the books and pry more details out of them.

She wanted to know everything. Why was trade so prosperous for such a nothern port? Did they really sell ice all year round? Was Kristoff right about them using reindeer for more than just food? Why had the castle been abandoned so suddenly, and why did the locals still avoid the old North Mountain? When would lunch be served?

With a start, Anna glanced around the room wildly. She hoped Elsa hadn't heard her stomach growling. The blonde was buried in a book of her own, so hopefully she'd missed it. Still, Anna needed to get some food before it happened again and louder this time.

"Hey Elsa?"

"Hmmm?" The other girl lifted her head slightly, but remained focused on what she was reading.

"Is it okay if I get some lunch?"

"Sure, the kitchen is down the hall to the left." The blonde replied absently, waving a hand towards the door in a 'that way' sort of motion. "Just don't take any of the books with you, we don't want them to get damaged."

"I wasn't planning on it." Anna huffed, glad that Elsa still hadn't looked at her and spotted her blush. She had totally been planning on just that. Curling up on the couch in the break room, enjoying the fire and a nice sandwich while she took her time and read about the various paintings scattered around the castle...

Well, maybe later. Right now, she needed food. Elsa said it was on the left, so she pushed open the first door she found. "Oh wow..."

A magnificent grand hallway greeted her, covered in paintings. The light from the windows fell on them, showing them off as she simply stared and tried to gather herself. Gingerly, she walked into the room, looking left and right, trying to take it all in. The art on the walls was beautiful.

One painting in particular caught her eye. The small plaque beneath it read '_Joan of Arc_', but that was it. No artist or patron or even date was listed. Anna reached out, her fingers brushing the plaque, hungry to know more about the work of art in front of her.

_Click!_

Anna gasped, looking around worriedly, but no one else was here. "God, Joan, if I've broken something on my second day here, they'll ship me back to New York for sure!" She muttered, glaring up at the painting. "You could have at least told me to be careful."

Her natural curiousity got the better of her, and she pressed the small plate again. This time, rather than a noise, it popped off its hook, pushed out of the way by a shifting brick. Holy secret compartment, batman!

Anna gently pulled out the scroll, taking care not to damage it. It wasn't sealed. She sat on the bench under Joan and carefully, so carefully, spread the scroll open. Briefly she wondered if she should have gone to get Kristoff or Elsa, but...

_'My dearest Anna,'_

My dearest Anna... she looked up, checking again for other students. This had to be a prank, something they did to spook the new kid. Well, she wasn't going to freak out again. She'd just read the stupid thing and put it back. No more silliness from her today.

'_My dearest Anna,_

_I know you will never read this note, my love. I know that after today, I will never see Arendelle again. I know that no words of mine, no matter how heartfelt, fix the damage fate has wrought._

_My head knows these facts. It is my heart, however, that compels me to write these words. To capture them on paper so the winds of time might somehow bring them to you. A fool's hope, but a hope nonetheless._

_I write this so that you will know I have not given up on hope. I write because, whether we are on Earth or in Heaven, our heats will be eternally linked._

_I go now, to face my own destiny, and perhaps, if there is any mercy left for me, redeem for myself another chance. I go because of my hope, that one day we will be reunited. I go, but my heart will always remain here._

_I am yours, body and soul, now and forever._

_I love you.'_

"Wow..." Anna hadn't even noticed the tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. "Wow." She pulled herself together. "Joan, just between you and me, I wish this really had been for me. Who could have written this? Did you know the 'Anna' it was meant for?"

She clutched the scroll to herself, making a decision. She'd ask Kristoff. She needed to tell someone about it, and he was the logical choice. He was nice and calm and her friend, and she hadn't spilled anything on him recently, so it made sense. She wandered back towards the rooms and knocked on his door. "Hey Kristoff? I think I found something."

* * *

_\- That evening - _

"Wow." Kristoff said for the thirteenth time since she'd shown him the scroll.

"Yeah, I think we covered that this is 'wow'-worthy, Kris." Anna sat across from him at the table.

"And you just randomly found it in the main gallery by accident?" He asked her yet again.

"I showed you the secret compartment." She looked over at him. "So, now that I've gone over my story multiple times, it's your turn. I saw the look in your eyes, I know you know who the 'Anna' in this letter is, so spill, tell me everything."

"I can't be sure exactly, but from the apparent age of the scroll, I'd guess that the Anna in the letter would be Crown Princess Anna of Arendelle, the last princess to live here before the castle was abandoned."

"A princess?!" Anna squeaked excitedly.

"Yeah, the only daughter of King Agdar and Queen Idunn." He paused. "You know, we really should show this to Elsa. That time period is her specialty. She knows all the stories about what happened back then."

"No!" Anna's face flushed a deep red at her heated refusal. Calming down, she continued. "No, don't show her yet, Kris."

"Why?" He asked, sounding curious rather than offended.

"I... can't explain. It's just a gut feeling I have." She offered lamely. "I kinda want to keep this private for now."

"We need to tell the others."

"Please! Just for a little while, then we can tell them." Anna wheedled.

"Fine, but only for a little while." Kristoff grumbled. "Will you at least tell me what about this scroll fascinates you so? Beyond the shared name, I mean?"

"I... It feels like a fairy tale. Reading this, I could almost believe in magic and happily ever after. The way whoever wrote this mentions connected hearts and winds of time and all that... it's so romantic!" She sighed regretfully. "Just let me believe in the magic for a little bit. Let me pretend they managed to get their happy ever after."

"It's okay, Anna. I think all of us here have a bit of a romantic in them, otherwise we wouldn't be doing this."

"You mean it's not just the long hours, no internet, and pitifully small stipend? Damn, I must have signed up for the wrong project!"

Kristoff snorted back a laugh.

* * *

_\- In the wee hours of the night -_

Kristoff yawned and cursed tiredly as he stumbled over yet another tree root. It had been a long day already, why did Grandpabbie send Bulda to fetch him now? Still, the sooner he got there and heard whatever he had to say, the sooner he could go back to bed.

"There you are," The gravelly voice greeted him from the clearing. "Didn't Bulda tell you to hurry? Important things are happening, my boy. Important things!"

"Pabbie, it's like 3 am. Some of us have work tomorrow." He glared down at the short figure in front of him. "And you keep telling me how 'important' things are always on the way. School was 'important'. Then college. And it was so extra 'important' that I get into the graduate program so I could team up with the Americans here. What new and exciting way is 'important' going to mess up my life now?"

"Kristoff!" Bulda thumped his shin. "You know better than to speak to your Grandpabbie like that."

"Sorry, Pabbie, it's just been a really long day. What do you need from me?"

"Anna found the scroll." It wasn't a question, but Kristoff answered him anyway.

"Yes she did, and how the hell do you know that?"

"I told you, important-"

"-things, got it." He nodded at the troll. "Don't worry, I remember what you asked of me. I won't tell her anything until it's time."

"I know it's hard for you, Kristoff." The elderly troll rolled over to him, patting his leg gently. "I wish I were free to tell you everything. I just need you to have faith for a little while longer." He pulled out a small polished stone and passed it to Kristoff. "Take this. It's why I asked you to come here. When the time is right, you'll know when to use it."

Kristoff examined the rock. A troll rune was etched in one face of it. He looked back up at Grandpabbie. "Truth?"

"Yes." A solemn nod.

"You know, I'd feel a lot better if I knew why you cared so much about having Anna here."

"Fate, my boy. We finally have a chance to fix things." His pabbie rolled away, waving goodbye. "Go get some rest, you're going to need it."

Kristoff groaned. He knew Pabbie was right. After all, every time the trolls interfered in his life, big changes inevitably followed.

Important events, indeed.

* * *

_Next Chapter: Professor Weselton returns to the site. We learn a bit about Elsa's past._

* * *

_A/N: So yeah, it's the present and there are trolls. It's too much fun to write these characters and not have the "love experts" meddle with them somehow! We're also going to see more of the past, but not for a while yet._

_A/N 2: For those who've asked, this will probably be about 20 chapters, if all goes according to my outline._


	3. Chapter 3 - Ducks and a Bad Toupee

_A/N: This one deals with a lot of Elsa's past and gets kind of dark at places, so if that's not your thing, you might want to skip most of the huge block of italics. Still, it's important for establishing why she is the way she is._

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 3 - Ducks and a Bad Toupee

_\- The next morning -_

Anna felt wired, even more so than usual. She'd read and reread the letter last night, over and over. Every time she did, she tried to get some glimpse of who the mysterious author could be. She'd even sniffed the thing, hoping against hope that some trace of a scent would linger on it after all these years. All she got for her troubles was some dust up her nose and a mad dash to the bathroom for some tissues before she could sneeze all over the desk.

Logically, she knew she should talk to Elsa about it and ask the blonde girl what she knew about Crown Princess Anna. It would be the smart thing to do. But, like she'd told Kristoff, a small part of her was afraid to talk to the other girl about the letter. Still, if she kept hitting dead ends on her hunt for answers, she might have to bite the bullet and just do it.

Anna stopped by the kitchen and grabbed a muffin, nibbling on it as she wandered back towards the library. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the short, thin man until she bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry." Then she got a better look at the man, and recognized him from the dust jacket of the book Hans had given her. "Oh wow, you're Professor Weselton! Thank you so much for choosing me for your team! I'm Anna!"

"Ah, hello Anna! I heard you arrived the other day. I'm always happy to see a fresh face around here." The older man grinned cheerfully, pumping her hand in a vigorous shake. "And may I say, I'm even happier that you don't have any hot chocolate with you!" He laughed, but not in a mocking way. The jolly sound comforted Anna, made her feel welcome in a way that had been missing since her accident on the first day.

"I am never going to live that down." Anna looked around. Nope, still no cliffs conveniently nearby.

"No harm, no foul." Her professor walked with her down the hall. "How do you like Arendelle so far?"

"It's so amazing! It's like something right out of a fairy tale!" She gushed. "I mean, that art gallery alone! All those paintings! And the library... So many books, I don't know if I'll ever be able to read them all!"

"The gallery was what initially hooked me." He agreed, winking at her. "Get it? _Hooked me?_ Because of all the paintings?"

Anna groaned inwardly, laughing. "Art and history... I guess you do have a wide palette, professor." She tried to play along with his bad pun.

Weselton broke out with a loud laugh, and his whole body shook. Anna suppressed a surprised yelp when his toupee made a mad dash for freedom and landed on the floor between them. She pretended not to notice when the professor quickly picked it up and put it back on. The toupee continued to draw her eye as they walked towards the library. Now that she'd seen it, she couldn't unsee it.

Elsa's night, by contrast, dragged. Like the previous night, the blonde girl barely managed to sleep at all. She'd close her eyes, but sleep just would not come. Counting sheep, warm drinks, reading the latest draft of Kristoff's thesis... Nothing worked. Ever since Anna had arrived, she kept thinking about things. Memories she thought safely buried hounded her...

* * *

_\- Six years ago -_

_Elsa shut the door and hurried upstairs, wanting to wash as soon as possible. Just being forced to sit in the same car as that boy had left her feeling gross. Fortunately, she'd been able to duck his fumbling attempts to kiss her goodnight. That would have been almost more than she could take right now._

_If only her parents would stop setting up these dates for her. She really wasn't into dating right now, and certainly not someone that had been picked for her. She kept telling her parents that she wanted some time for herself, that she'd worry about dating when she didn't have school and college and her part-time job hanging over her head._

_Not that she particularly needed the job. Her family was rich. But she still had that job. It was one more thing her parents decided for her. Good work experience, they called it. Killing any chance at a normal social life, she called it. It was one thing to have a job in high school, it was another to clerk for your father's high end law firm, everyone looking at you and knowing that you were only there because daddy had his name on the front of the building._

_That, however, wasn't enough for her father. He was obsessed with lineage, with control. His daughter was beautiful, so she needed to be dating someone acceptible. So, she found herself on a string of dates with the sons of various members of the law firm. She'd go out with them once or twice to make daddy happy, then dump them to make herself less miserable. That was her pattern for most of a year, ever since she turned sixteen._

_She buried her feelings deep, choosing instead to make her family happy. Conceal, don't feel. Don't let everyone down._

_It had taken Belle to show her the truth about herself. Too bad Belle had also taught her another lesson along the way._

_The first time Belle kissed her was innocent, almost accidental. She'd been telling her friend about the latest failed date. The boy had been nice enough, but there was no spark at all. Frustrated, she'd even let him kiss her good night, hoping to feel something, anything. But there wasn't. There never was. So the next day, she found herself asking Belle if it was her. Was she doing something wrong?_

_Belle just laughed at that, telling her there was an easy way to find out. "Close your eyes. Just wait."_

_Then her world exploded._

_It was a gentle kiss, barely a brush of lips on lips. But that's all it took. Belle's lips were soft in just the right way. Even that brief contact was enough to light a fire in Elsa, a fire that threatened to consume her._

_The next several days were torture. She started noticing other girls. She noticed she was noticing them, and some of them were probably noticing her interest too. Whispered rumors spread through the school that Elsa Lynse was 'that way'. If those rumors got back to her father..._

_So she did the logical thing and got a boyfriend just in time for the fall dance. The rumors died down and she tried to ruthlessly squash that side of herself that caused the rumors in the first place. Remy was nice enough, and too timid to try anything on his own, so he was perfect for her purposes. She just needed to date him long enough that when she dumped him, it would buy her a few months before anyone would expect her to date again._

_At the fall dance, she found herself in the bathroom with Belle, comparing notes on their respective dates. The brunette had an 'on again, off again' relationship with one of the school's bad boys, Adam Besson, called the Beast by the rest of the football team. They'd date for a while, she'd break up with him, he'd do something crazy to win her back and the whole cycle would repeat. They were currently on the 'on' part of the relationship, though from what Belle was saying, a breakup was clearly coming._

_Belle asked Elsa about Remy, and for once, Elsa found herself unable to lie. Tears flowed freely as she told Belle why she was really dating Remy. That she was just using him to make her father happy. That she was so very tired of the rumors that had popped up about herself. That she just couldn't bring herself to care anymore. She kept talking, every painful truth flying free in one long, cathartic confession._

_Belle didn't say anything, merely listened to her friend's story. Then she gently took Elsa's hands in her own and pulled the taller blonde to her. Her lips found Elsa's, and suddenly the world was right again for a few minutes._

_Belle dumped Adam again after the dance, and Elsa let Remy down easy the next day. And so, her parents thought nothing of a friend coming over for a movie night, choosing to let the girls 'deal with their breakups.'_

_Belle and Elsa didn't see a minute of the movie. They were too busy making out._

_Unfortunately, Elsa's job picked up, so the pair had little time to spend together. They still kissed every chance they could get, but Elsa could feel the friction building in the relationship. Belle was also unhappy that Elsa wanted to hide from everyone, especially their parents. They had a nasty fight over Thanksgiving when Elsa refused to even ask her father if Belle could join them for the meal. The next day, Belle took Adam back, saying that if Elsa didn't want to be with her, she would be with someone who did._

_Elsa tried to explain the situation to Belle, but the brunette didn't want to listen. She didn't want to be with someone who only treated her like a dirty secret. Meanwhile, Elsa's father had arranged yet another date for her, deciding that his daughter had had enough time to 'recover' from breaking up with Remy._

_As ever, the boy across the table from her failed to spark any interest. She mumbled her way through a polite conversation over dinner, her mind actually miles away with a certain brunette. She ignored his awkward attempts to slip an arm around her at the movie. She stood still like a fence post when he kissed her good night, not bothering to participate in the kiss at all._

_And so, she felt even worse when she got inside and found her mother sitting on the couch of the living room with a distraught Belle. The brunette was sobbing, her makeup streaking her beautiful face. Elsa immediately forgot all about her date and sat down on the other side of her friend. Her mother brought them all some tea, and shooed out her father, who had been hovering in the doorway, curious._

_It was almost a mirror of the situation at the Fall Dance. This time, Elsa was the one listening quietly while Belle told her story._

_Adam had taken her out to one of the nicest restaurants in the city, since it was the anniversary of their very first date, almost two years ago. After that, they went dancing, and then..._

_It wasn't like the subject hadn't come up before. Belle had admitted she'd thought about sleeping with Adam from time to time, but had always chosen to wait. Tonight, however, Adam had been so nice, and it was their anniversary, and things were going so well, and she was seventeen, and..._

_Belle broke down again, and Elsa's mother put her arm around the poor girl's shoulders. A horrified Elsa listened as the details burst from Belle in jagged chunks. She'd kept going, hoping that it would feel better eventually. It hadn't. It had been painful and uncomfortable, and when it was over, she'd just felt gross and disappointed with herself._

_Elsa's mother didn't scold her or anything. She merely called Belle's parents and told them their daughter would be sleeping over tonight. Soon enough, the guest bedroom had been prepared and fresh change of clothes was waiting for Belle._

_The next day, Elsa tried to guard Belle as best she could, especially at school. Fortunately, Adam hadn't told anyone about the previous night, so there were no rumors or teasing about Belle, and Elsa was determined to keep it that way._

_Belle kissed Elsa a week later, asking her out for a date. She told the blonde that her eyes were finally open and, while she deeply regretted what had happened, she wanted nothing more than to make Elsa happy. For the next two weeks after that, things were better than ever between the two. They went on dates, held hands, Belle even sang a song for Elsa. Instead of flowers, Belle brought her a bouquet of books. They went for a picnic. In December. Belle fed the ducks while Elsa took pictures of her trying to not get her fingers bitten. Belle was crazy and full of life, and Elsa loved her for it._

_Then New Years happened._

_Elsa was in the kitchen, grabbing a quick snack before heading back to the party in the main room. She was about to go, when she spotted Belle ducking in, a mischevious glint in her eyes. "I heard that if a couple kisses on New Years, they'll be together for the rest of the year."_

_"Hmmm." Elsa grinned at her girlfriend. "Care to test that theory?"_

_"Oh, I think you know the answer to that." Belle's lips met hers, and Elsa found her hands on the shorter girl's hips._

_They were both so involved that neither of them noticed Elsa's father watching from the doorway._

_The next day, Elsa found an unfamiliar man sitting on the couch, chatting with her parents. Her mother looked distraught, while her father merely looked angry. He waved for her to come in. Over the course of half an hour, Elsa listened in horror as she found out what her life would be like for the next six months._

_She could either go to a special camp to "cure" her or she would be disowned, tossed out like the abomination she was. Every word from her father's mouth hit her like a hammer blow. After she returned from the camp, her life would consist of school and work. When she was not at either, she would be at home under the eyes of one of her parents. Further, she was to have no more contact with "that girl", and "that girl's" parents were no longer employees on the law firm._

_'Gay Camp', as she hatefully called it, was horrid. Full days spent with earnest therapists trying to convince her what she was feeling was only a "phase she needed to get over" and ministers urging her to "pray the gay away." She mouthed the 'right' answers and eventually was certified as "cured" after an agonizing three and a half months._

_Unfortunately, that was not the end of the matter. Her father still hadn't forgiven her. Rather than being taken to the family home, she found herself at a private academy run by nuns. She was enrolled there for the rest of high school. The only times she even saw her family were on the few breaks between semesters. Even then, her parents didn't talk to her. They'd pick her up, bring her home, and that was it. She would take meals with them, but they didn't engage in conversation. She even had a trust set up at school to handle any incidental expenses, because her parents wanted to keep up appearances, and it wouldn't do for word to get out that they'd cut Elsa off entirely._

_It was on the first break home that Belle finally broke Elsa's heart._

_Thoughts of her girlfriend were the only thing that had kept Elsa sane while she was at Gay Camp. She'd say the prayers, but her thoughts were on the petite brunette waiting for her at home. Even the academy hadn't kept her occupied enough to keep her mind off Belle._

_So the first chance she got, she snuck out of the house and beelined for Belle's place. Her first obstacle was finding where Belle lived. During the six months she'd been stuck at the academy and Gay Camp, Belle's parents had been forced to move, seeing as Elsa's father had fired them. Still, Elsa persisted, and tracked down the new address._

_A knock on the door brought Belle's mother, who merely glared at Elsa. Finally, after much begging, she was permitted to go inside and see Belle again. Elsa gasped, her eyes widening in horror when she saw the very pregnant Belle sitting on the couch, an engagement band on her finger._

_In a daze, Elsa found herself sitting next to the girl, listening to her explain that when she'd found out she was pregnant, everything had fallen apart. Her parents were out of work, they were losing their home, and she was seventeen and pregnant. At least when Adam found out, he'd done the 'right thing' and proposed to her._

_Elsa listened, and the heart that her father had injured when he shipped her off to camp shattered when she heard her girlfriend call what they had "just experimenting" and "only a phase I was going through at the time." The final blow came when Belle thanked Elsa and told her how happy she was for her that her parents had gotten her the help she needed to 'fix' her condition._

_Elsa spent senior year withdrawn and upset. A few students tried to be her friend, but she was too angry at the world to care, and soon they stopped trying. When she wasn't furious at her parents and society as a whole, she was crying her eyes out in her room._

_College was better. Away from the stifling grasp of her parents and the nuns, Elsa resolved to make a fresh start of things. She chose to go to college in New York, glad to have a whole continent between her and her father. She did her best to be social and make new friends, and even succeded a few times._

_Her friends started to fix the broken pieces of her, bit by bit. Soon enough, she could be found laughing with them while they made fun of some horrible movie one of them dredged out of the discount bin of the local music store. They had study groups, went paintballing, went to parties. Elsa revelled in finally exploring a side of life that had forever been denied her by her parents._

_The only area she couldn't seem to make progress on was dating. For the first year, she didn't date at all. Even once she'd worked up the nerve and come out to her friends, she still couldn't do it. They tried setting her up with dates, or pointing out a cute girl who was interested in her, but it never worked out._

_She met Kristoff as an exchange student to the archaeology department, and it was his tales of his homeland that made her sign up for the study at the Arendelle ruins. She leaped at the chance to study abroad, eagerly accepting the offer. She threw herself into the project, and soon enough had an offer to be a permanent member of the team from Professor Weselton._

_Norway helped boost her confidence even more. Kristoff was so happy for her when she asked out one of the town girls and went on a few dates. Even so, despite her newfound confidence, something still seemed missing, and she ended the relationship..._

* * *

_\- Present day - _

Elsa's eyes snapped open, and she wiped the drool off her chin and desk. Rubbing her neck, she got up, trying to stretch out the soreness. Her eyes widened when she saw how late it was in the morning. She'd fallen asleep at her desk and slept right through her alarm!

Despite the much-needed sleep, she didn't feel rested at all. Dreaming of the past had brought her no relief. She stood in front of the sink, closing her eyes so she could concentrate on forcing the memories down. "Conceal, don't feel, conceal, don't feel, conceal..."

It didn't help. The chilled porcelain under her fingers wasn't locking away her past like it was supposed to. Her heart lurched as she recalled her last memory of Belle, sitting on the couch, very pregnant, forgiving her for being a lesbian...

She needed to see Gerda. Gerda and Kai made everything better. They were night and day from her parents. They loved her for who she was, and right now, she needed that very much. Her tender heart needed someone to care for her, tell her she was perfect just as she was. Grabbing a jacket and her pack, she darted out the door, practically running along the forest trail that leg to Gerda's house.

It took her less time than usual, tautly wound nerves driving her to walk faster and faster. Likewise, her knock wasn't the usual friendly bump, but a stacatto rap. The door cracked open, light and warmth peeking through. "Hello? Who is-? Elsa? Oh my god, what's wrong, dear?"

Gerda gently enfolded the distraught blonde in a caring embrace. She led the shaking girl to the lounge, settling her in one of the chairs, before bringing out some tea from the kitchen. Elsa smiled wanly at her friend, silently thanking her for her help.

Gerda didn't pressure Elsa, merely picked up her knitting with an offhand "Take your time, dear. You don't have to talk until you're ready."

At that, Elsa broke. She'd held on for so long, this gentle acceptance burned right through her defenses. She told Gerda about the dream she had, which led to her explaining other things about her past. The older woman put a blanket around her and refilled her tea. "Elsa, Elsa, it's okay." She soothed the crying girl. "You're safe here."

"He, he, threw me out." Elsa hiccuped, sobbing.

"Shhh, I know." Gerda rocked her. "But you're here. You'll always be welcome here."

"I'm not nothing, Gerda. I'm not! I can be good!"

"You are so special, Elsa. You have so much to offer the world." Then she said it. The words Elsa needed, but couldn't, didn't know how to ask for. The words she'd hoped beyond all hope to hear. "You're perfect just the way you are. And Kai and I love you for it."

Elsa threw her arms around the older woman, hugging her tightly. Then when all the pain and fear and anguish had finally drained out of her, she let Gerda lay her down on the couch. Her last conscious memory was the old woman covering her with a blanket and slipping a pillow under her head...

* * *

_\- The next morning -_

Anna shrieked happily as she dashed through the fresh snow, kicking up plumes of it behind her. Sure, it had snowed in New York, but it wasn't the same. There, it almost instantly turned in to a grey, slushy mess that mucked everything up. Here, the snow was almost magic.

A deep layer of pure white snow covered Arendelle, and to Anna, it was like she'd gone back in time. Icicles twinkled in the bright sunlight, and a gentle breeze played around her legs. She fell back in one particularly deep drift, fanning her arms and legs to make a snow angel. She giggled when she felt a trickle of melted snow drip down her neck.

She knew she probably should have been working, but Elsa wasn't around today, and after the freak snowstorm had unexpectedly shut everyone in all yesterday afternoon, Anna needed some fresh air.

Professor Weselton had been a bit upset that the storm prevented him from getting back to work right away, but he covered it nicely (rather like his toupee did for his head), and set up a movie night instead. Okay, the hot chocolate was nowhere near as good as Oaken's, but it was hot and it was chocolate, and there was popcorn, and _Princess Bride_ was one of her most favorite movies ever, so it turned into a rather fun evening.

Speaking of hot chocolate...

Anna grabbed some snowshoes from the equipment locker and tromped her way to Oaken's. As Kristoff had promised, the walk was much easier than the ride in Betsi had been, taking little more than an hour. Anna had been surprised, but the little hiking trail was a direct path through a small gap in the mountains, while the road had to take a long, winding detour to get there.

The inn welcomed her before she even got there, the love and good cheer of the place beckoning to her as she crested the final rise. She smiled fondly and brushed some snow off the merry little sign out front. Even the bell on the door sounded happy to her.

"Hoohoo!" Oaken hugged her, tugging on her hand. "Just Anna! You have perfect timing!" He dragged her back to the dining area of the inn. "Kurt, come meet Anna." Another tall man walked out, escorting a gaggle of kids. "Anna, this is my husband Kurt! And these are our kids. Some of them, anyway. That's Andre, and Nick, and Kiki."

"Hello Anna." The other man shook her hand while the three kids surrounded Anna, staring wide eyed at her.

"Oh wow." "She's so pretty." "Is she Kristoff's girlfriend?" "Are you a student?" "Want to play in the snow with us?"

Kurt gently shooed the kids away from Anna and back into the inn. "You can bother her later, let your Papa and me talk with her now."

Anna watched the kids run back to their rooms. "Ohmygod, they're so adorable!"

"Yes they are." Oaken beamed proudly. "So what brings you out here today, Anna? We haven't had many customers thanks to the snow."

"Welllllllll... I was kind of hoping you might have some hot chocolate...?" Anna asked coyly.

"Hoooo! Told you!" Oaken cheered. Kurt stuck out his tongue and passed over a folded bill to the other man. "We can have some fresh for you in just a minute. In fact..." Oaken winked at her. "Kurt has a brand new recipe you can try. Hot chocolate with a splash of mint."

Anna had to remind herself that drooling all over the floor might be just a bit on the rude side, and settled for nodding vigorously. Soon enough she found herself settled at one of the sturdy wooden tables, a steaming cup of mint hot chocolate in her hands. She sipped it.

When her brain decided it could work again, she croaked out a hasty thanks. "Oaken, Kurt, this, wow! I mean, the other day wow, but this wow!" Once again, verbs failed her.

Kurt was laughing along with his husband. "Thank you for the compliment, Anna." He winked at her. "I do hope you're not just using us for our chocolate."

"Curses! My evil plan is revealed!" Anna grinned wickedly.

Oaken held a finger to his temple. "Let me guess, you can't get a signal on your phone at the site, and came here to use ours."

"Yup." Anna nodded. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all." Kurt stood up, along with his husband. "We should probably round up the kids and start dinner, anyway."

"Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything!" Oaken added cheerfully, before leaving her with some privacy in the cozy room.

Anna pulled out her phone and, making sure she had a good charge, turned it on. Three bars, tolerable.

"_Hello?"_ Hans' voice groggily greeted her from the other end.

"Hans!"

"_Anna!_" He sounded much more awake now that he knew his caller was his girlfriend. "_How are you? How's Norway? Is there any chocolate left?"_

"I'm doing fine, Norway is awesome, and yes, I showed mercy and self control."

_"Anna..._"

"Okay, fine, I had four boxes in Oslo while I waited for my ride, happy?"

"_Hah!"_ He grunted. "_I knew it!"_

"Yeah, yeah."

"_So how is the project? Do you like it? How are the other students? How's Weaseltown?"_

"Professor _Weselton_," she replied, stressing the name. "is fun. He's really nice, he tells corny jokes, and he has the most ridiculous toupee. It keeps falling off. So much fun to watch." Hans snorted a laugh as she continued. "The other kids are nice. Kristoff, one of the grad students, is really cool, if a bit obsessed with reindeer. And guess what?"

_"What?"_

"I'm working in the library! Like, actually working there! I love it! And Elsa is super nice, too. I was scared at first because I drenched her in hot chocolate, but she didn't freak out, and she's been really nice to me. She's even teaching me about how they stored the books and everything."

"_Nice, really?"_ Hans' voice had chilled noticeably. _"I've heard stories about her. They say she was disowned by her family, that she's really just a closed off ice queen."_

"Hans! How can you say that about someone you've never even met? Elsa is nice and smart and fun, and she totally doesn't mind when I trip over stuff."

"_I'm just saying, watch yourself, Anna. No one seems to really know her, so be careful."_

"Well, I know her, and Kristoff knows her, and so do the other kids, and she's really nice to us." Suddenly all the cheer she'd felt at talking to Hans was gone. "Look, it's snowing here. I should go before I lose signal." She lied.

"_Anna, wait... I'm sorry."_

"Whatever." She hung up the phone. She went in search of Oaken, needing a refill on her drink.

* * *

_\- A few hours later -_

"Okay Anna, this is the last one then I'm cutting you off. Otherwise you won't make it home tonight." Kurt set the mug down in front of her. He watched with a concerned look as she drained the mug in one pull.

"Am I a horrible person?" Anna asked despondantly, absently wiping away a bit of the hot chocolate from the corner of her mouth. "I totally lied to my boyfriend just to end the call."

"Why would you do that?" The big man asked her, curious.

"Well, I was telling him all about all my new friends here, and he suddenly gets all weird and tries to warn me off them. God! It's just like that time Simba wanted to have a bunch of us over so we could try out his new huge TV. I mean, usually he's nice, but sometimes he gets so stupid. Is it really so wrong to want to make new friends?"

"Hooo, you know our motto here. Friends are like family!" Oaken commented.

"Right!" She nodded emphatically. "So why should it bother him so much that I'm trying to get to know the people I'm gonna be spending the next six months with?"

"Anna, if he really cares, he should be happy for you." Kurt replied quietly.

Anna pretended not to hear that. It mirrored what she'd been stewing over for the past two hours way too much. _Okay Anna, enough brooding, let's go put that 'new friends' thing in action._ Spotting some travel mugs on the wall, Anna pointed. "Oaken, how much for three of those?"

* * *

_Next Chapter: The past finally re-enters the story!_

* * *

_A/N: Whew, this one was a big load of serious. Thanks for sticking with it! The next one will be much lighter._


	4. Chapter 4 - Hot Chocolate Redux

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 4 - Hot Chocolate Redux

* * *

\- _That evening -_

Anna grinned broadly as she carried the three thermoses (thermosi? Anna wondered what the plural of that was) through the hall. This time, it was perfect. Not only was she going to actually deliver the hot chocolate, but she'd be giving Elsa and Kristoff the mugs so they could use them whenever they wanted. And with her own mug, it'd make a nice set. Win for Anna!

She pratically skipped down the halls, satisfaction at how perfect her plan was filling her. Plan: Impress Elsa had already failed when she screwed up step 1 and tripped all over the books, but she was confident that Plan: Make the Grad Students Adore Me would work. It really helped that she was pretty much done on Kristoff, so that really just left Elsa. The blonde had already forgiven her for her little slipup on the first day, so with this gesture, she could start again between them.

This time, she was going to 'wow' them with her generosity and thoughtfulness. This time, she'd show them the real Anna Frostad! This time, she'd...

...trip on a bump on the hall rug and watch three thermoses soar through the air in a graceful arc, crashing to the ground at the feet of a certain familiar blonde, the lids popping off so the contents could splash up and spray across them both.

* * *

Elsa blinked, trying to get the hot chocolate that had splashed all over her face out of her eyes. She looked down to find a panicked redhead staring up at her from where she lay sprawled on the floor. Anna's mouth opened and closed like a fish, no sounds coming out.

She sighed, extending a hand in what was rapidly becoming a familiar gesture where Anna was concerned. She helped the clumsy redhead to her feet, then bent to pick up the thermoses.

"Oh. My. God. I canNOT believe I just did that again." Anna's voice apparently decided it was time to work. "I am so sorry, Elsa. I'm not doing this on purpose, I swear."

"It's fine, Anna. Anyone can have a little bad luck." She quirked an eyebrow at the other girl. "Besides, at least this time there's some justice at work."

"Whuh?" Anna asked before looking down to appraise her own appearance. Her eyes widened when she saw that she'd managed to slide across the floor into one of the larger puddles of hot chocolate. "Oh no! This shirt was a gift from Grandma! I love this shirt! She got it for me when she went on vacation in Italy. She's going to totally hate me now!"

Elsa groaned. She still wasn't good at this type of situation. She'd been trying to lighten the mood and all she'd managed to do was upset Anna even more. Still holding onto Anna's hand, she tugged the redhead to get her moving back towards their rooms. "Come on, change into some clean clothes and grab your coat. We can still fix this."

She quickly pulled on some fresh clothes and put on her coat. Folding the soaked clothes she'd been wearing and putting them in a small bag, she waited in the hall for Anna to change. _Is she trying on every outfit she owns?_ Elsa tried not to let her impatience show. After all, the point was to make Anna feel better, not worse. On a whim, she ducked back into her own room and plucked two of the cookies Gerda had packed for her the other day.

Anna finally emerged from her room, carefully holding the stained shirt. Mournful green eyes looked up into Elsa's. "Do you really think it can be saved?"

Elsa fought to hide a grin. "Let me tell you a story. There's a local legend around here. Once, a princess had the most beautiful gown she wanted to wear to the royal ball. But, the week before the ball, she found that she'd spilled her tea and stained the dress."

"Oh no!" Anna gasped, her empathy for the fake princess adorable.

"She sent her knights out far and wide to search the kingdom, hoping that one of them might find a solution. Days passed, and still the knights had no answers for her." Elsa continued her story. "The princess was in tears. The dress had been a gift, handed down in her family for many years. She was devastated that not only did she have nothing to wear to the ball, but she'd also ruined an irreplacable family heirloom."

"Then what happened?" Anna asked, barely noticing that they were on the old hiking trail. The shorter girl was hanging on her every word, her eyes begging Elsa for more details.

"Finally, the day before the ball, the princess had to admit defeat. None of her brave knights had returned with an answer. With a heavy heart, she knew she would be forced to miss the ball."

"Elsa, this story is so sad, please don't tell me it ends like this!" The redhead looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment, so Elsa decided to show her some mercy.

Continuing as if Anna hadn't spoken at all, Elsa finished her story. "Just when she was about to cancel the ball, one of her friends reminded her that many dry cleaners are actually pretty awesome at getting stains out. So the princess and her friend took the dress to the dry cleaners and picked it up the next day, good as new, just in time for the ball. The end."

"Elsa!" Anna sputtered, her face flushed. "That was so not funny!"

"I thought it was funny."

"You said it was a local legend."

"It is."

"No it's not, you just made it up!"

"So?"

"So how does that make it a local legend?"

"Well, I'm here, so there's the 'local' part, and 'legend', because the company is called Legend Dry Cleaning." Elsa tossed one of the cookies she'd picked up to the shorter girl.

"You're so lame." Anna grinned at her as she devoured the cookie.

* * *

Elsa had dropped off their stained clothes at the dry cleaner, and even volunteered to pay for it herself, but Anna wouldn't hear of it.

"I was the one who spilled it all over us, I'll pay for it." She argued reasonably.

"You're new here, it should be my treat." Elsa insisted.

"It's still my fault." Anna overruled her. "Besides, usually when people say 'it's my treat', they're talking about dinner or something, not dry cleaning."

"Fine, pay for it then." The blonde surrendered. "But I'm paying next time."

"Fine!" Anna huffed. "Wait... What do you mean by 'next time'?"

"Let's stop by Oaken's before we head back. I could do with a good meal." Elsa strode down the street towards the inn.

"You said 'next time'. I am not THAT clumsy!" Anna persisted as she followed the tall blonde.

"We can use the spa too, soak the chocolate out of our hair."

"Elsa!"

* * *

Anna hated to admit it, but Elsa had been right about the meal. Totally, one hundred percent right. Now, pleasantly full, she looked forward to the spa. Soaking out the last of the chocolate sounded like the perfect way to cap off the day. She pushed herself away from the table and stood to follow the blonde back to the changing rooms.

Stepping back into the hall, she was so not prepared for the sight of Elsa in just a towel.

Anna could feel her body heating up as her eyes traced the graceful curves of the blonde's legs. _Oh. My. God! _The towel stopped just below _there, _and barely managed to cover _those._ And it did nothing whatsoever to disguise just how amazing Elsa's hips were. _Those hips!_ She hastily wiped away a small line of drool, hoping Elsa hadn't noticed.

When Elsa turned away from her to enter the sauna, that didn't help Anna all that much. The platinum blonde looked just as good from behind. Those hips were still taunting her, and her butt... _Wow!_ Anna was openly staring now.

Elsa was walking now, and the sway of her hips was causing Anna's poor brain to melt. The easy grace the blonde moved with only served to emphasize the curves the short towel was concealing. The platinum braid swung back and forth, pulling Anna's eyes to the blonde's shoulders. It didn't help matters.

With a sigh of contentment, Elsa sat on one of the wooden benches in the sauna. Mutely, Anna took a seat next to her and tried to pretend that the heat in her face was from the spa. Finally, her brain decided to join the rest of her. _I'm in a sauna with Elsa! And she's naked under that towel! God, what I can see is more than enough._

_I hope she drops the towel._

Her train of thought screeched to a halt, jumping right off the rails.

_Okay, it's the heat. It's got to be that. Because otherwise I have _no_ idea where THAT thought just came from. I'm having heatstroke and my brain is going crazy. Yup, crazy. And it has nothing to do with Elsa sitting right there. In that towel. And I did not just think she'd look even better without said towel. Right, stop thinking about the towel. Please, please, please, stop thinking about the towel!_

* * *

Elsa didn't notice Anna's distress, too busy with her own internal debate.

_... I thought we weren't going to do anything about Anna._

_Looking is not the same as doing._

_Hypocrite._

_Oh please, you were looking too._

_At least I'm honest about _enjoying_ it._

_..._

_We're still not ready, you know._

_If her towel falls off, I'm calling your bluff._

_..._

_... _

_...Well?_

_It didn't fall off._

_I know, damn it!_

_So you wanted it to fall off too?_

_I'm not going to answer that._

_I'm pretty sure you just did._

_Right, anyway, back on topic. We're really not ready. Did you forget that massive breakdown we just had the other day?_

_...We're getting better._

_Not the same thing._

_Close enough._

_No, it's not. Anyway, she has a boyfriend._

_Details._

_You're hopeless._

You _are never getting laid._

_..._

_Please stop changing the subject. Avoidance just proves my point._

_Fine, what's your grand plan then, oh wise one?_

_Sarcasm isn't helping, either._

_Come on, you gotta let me have something._

_Fine. Let's just get this going. Will you at least admit we're still hurting?_

_Only if you admit we want Anna._

_Okay, I'll do that. So, do you really think we'd be any good to Anna in the state we're currently in?_

_...Not really._

_Right, so first, we need to fix ourselves._

_...Sigh, agreed._

_And after that..._

_Anna._

_Right._

* * *

_\- Late that evening _-

This time, it was Anna's turn to lay away while her mind raced. She stared up at the ceiling of her room, mentally willing herself to fall asleep. The whole day had a surreal quality to it, and she was sure if she could just go to sleep, she'd wake up tomorrow and the whole thing would have been just a dream.

Groaning, she got up, giving up on sleep for now. Maybe a walk would tire her out and let her rest. She put on a robe and strolled through the halls, noting how different Arendelle looked at night.

Anna reached the gallery room and plopped herself down on the cushioned bench. "Hey Joan, mind if I talk with ya for a bit? Thanks."

She lay back, looking up at the painting above her. "So, I managed to drench Elsa in hot chocolate. Again! And I nearly ruined Grandma's shirt, but Elsa helped me out there too. Then we went to Oaken's and had dinner and a sauna. I gotta say, Elsa plus sauna is way too dangerous. I nearly had a stroke watching her."

Anna shivered. "It's okay just to look, right? I mean, it's just like appreciating a fine painting. I'm sure you understand that, Joan. Okay, so Elsa is really pretty. I'd have to be dead to miss it." She glanced up at the painting and winced. "Sorry, no offense."

Anna kicked an imaginary soccer ball up into the air. "It would help if she wasn't so nice all the time! I spilled on her, and she's the one making _me_ feel better. She made up this dorky little story just so I wouldn't worry about Grandma's shirt and gave me a cookie. She doesn't even make fun of me or get mad at me when I trip. She's just the kindest person I've ever met, and it's driving me nuts. I wish that just once, she'd- "

Something caught Anna's eye as she lay on the bench. There, tucked tight behind Joan's painting, someone had wedged a slim book! Trembling with excitement, Anna lifted the bottom edge of the painting, depositing the book in her lap with a thump.

There was no title on the small volume, just a muted pastel flower design. Anna gingerly opened the cover, noting the elegant writing inside. From the looks of things, it was someone's diary.

'_Rapunzel's Diary, Hands Off!_

_If you see Flynn Ryder with this, punch him!'_

Anna giggled a bit at the warning scrawled on the first page before flipping it to continue reading.

'_May 17,_

_Eugene stopped by today, but Mama chased him off. She says I have no time for that this morning. An envoy from one of the neighboring kingdoms is arriving today, bringing his daughter to be a companion and member of the Princess' wedding party. So I have to get dressed up, put up my hair - even though she knows I prefer it down! - and be all presentable._

_I'll continue this entry later, I can hear Princess Anna at the door now...'_

* * *

_\- 250 years ago -_

Crown Princess Anna tugged excitedly on Rapunzel's sleeve. She'd rescued her best friend from yet another lecture on proper decorum by Dutchess Gothel, and they were on the way to the kitchens to grab a snack before the welcoming ceremony. Anna giggled as she remembered the look of frustration on Gothel's face when she'd pulled her daughter away, but Anna was the Crown Princess, and after giving Rapunzel this long lecture on good manners, the dutchess couldn't object to Anna's request without looking like a huge hypocrite.

"Princess! I didn't expect to see you here!" Chef Linguini straightened with a jolt. "It's an honor!"

"We're just checking that everything is ready for the ceremony this afternoon." Behind her, Anna could hear Rapunzel smothering a laugh. Trying to keep a straight face, she continued. "I'm especially concerned with those pastries. I want them to be perfect when our guests get here."

"Ah, I'd be happy to let you make sure, Princess." The gangly chef brought a small tray over, covered in an assortment of delectable looking pastries that, from the steam rising out of them, were obviously fresh out of the castle ovens.

Discretely wiping away a small line of drool as the scent of the baked goods wafted over to her, Anna plucked a handful of the pastries, before moving aside so Rapunzel could snag some too. She popped one in her mouth, savoring the flaky texture of the dessert.

"Princess Anna!" She winced when she heard the call from one of the castle guards out in the hallway. "Princess!"

"Pssst!" Anna turned towards the sound, spotting Eugene waving anxiously to them from one of the servant's passages. "Hurry, before they think to check the kitchens."

Laughing, the two girls darted into the hall, and Anna shut the door behind them while Rapunzel rewarded Eugene with a quick peck on the cheek. Anna grinned. Her friends were so cute together! She loved nothing more than helping her bestie sneak away from her controlling mother so she could be with her boyfriend. Rapunzel didn't care that Eugene was a commoner, she liked being with him simply because he made her happy.

Anna refused to dwell on the path that thought would lead her down, and instead decided to concentrate on imagining what their new guest would be like. She'd never seen this Princess Elsa before. All she knew about her was the girl was the youngest of three daughters of King Sven, the ruler of one of the neighboring kingdoms. As for why she was being brought here...

"Hey... Anna..." Rapunzel laid a gentle hand on her forearm, drawing her attention. "Don't dwell on it, okay? We'll figure something out."

"I know... It's just, I was so excited to meet this Princess Elsa, I mean, I heard she's really pretty and graceful, and she's supposed to sing great with this beautiful voice. And she's our age too, which is awesome. And then I remembered _why_ she's coming here. It's so not fair. Okay, being asked to be in a wedding is a big deal, I get it. I'd love to be asked that! But the other reason just sucks! If only Daddy hadn't made that dumb deal..."

"Yeah..." Eugene commiserated with her. "Anna, if it comes down to it, I'll borrow Maximus and we can, I dunno, steal you away before the wedding. After all," He winked and shot Rapunzel his 'famous' smoulder before striking a dramatic pose by holding aloft a frying pan ike a sword, causing both girls to erupt in a fit of giggles. "I'm secretly the notorious outlaw Flynn Ryder! Always willing to rescue damsels in distress!"

When the girls managed to calm down, the three of them crept quietly through the deserted passage, making their way towards the solar. Since that was where she usually had her (annoying) etiquette and posture lessions, Anna was fairly certain it would be the last room the guards thought to look for her.

The three friends flopped themselves down on the furniture, still happy from their narrow escape. Anna closed her eyes, smiling as she enjoyed the feel of the sun on her face through the glass. Several windows were also open, letting in a fresh spring breeze. Her smile grew - spring days didn't get much better than this.

Eventually, the guards didn manage to find them, but not before the friends had a few hours to themselves. "Princess Anna!" Huffed Cogsworth, the head Butler as he puffed behind the guards, the rotund man fighting to catch his breath. "You are making your father worry! You know very well that your father specifically requested your presence for the welcoming ceremony."

"Coggie," Anna batted her eyelashes at him while Rapunzel and Eugene laughed at the nickname, "That ceremony isn't till after lunch, so I have..."

"Twenty minutes!"

"Ohmygod!" Anna bolted up from the couch. "Twenty minutes! I've gotta get ready!" She turned to Rapunzel, panicking. "Is my hair okay? What about my dress? It's not too wrinkled is it? Damn! Am I supposed to give her a gift? What should I get her? I didn't get her anything! Now she's going to hate me!"

"Princess," Cogsworth gently escorted her from the room. "Everything is already prepared. We just need you. Don't worry about gifts, your father will handle that. Your only job will be to offer our guests tea once they're inside." He cleared his throat. "As for you, Miss Gothel, thank you for helping the Princess ready herself for the ceremony. I'm sure the Dutchess will be pleased that you're such a considerate friend. And," He glared pointedly at the two guards. "I'm also sure that she doesn't need to know all the little details, like how Eugene was here as well."

"You're a lifesaver, Coggie!" Rapunzel grinned at the butler.

"Come along, Princess." The butler led them down to the foyer, where Anna could that everyone else was indeed waiting on her. King Adgar looked resplendent in his ceremonial uniform, one arm holding her mother in a casual embrace. Queen Idunn also radiated a contented beauty. Anna sighed wistfully as she watched her parents. She'd always secretly hoped that when she got married, she could be as happy together as they were. Unfortunately, that didn't look likely...

"My princess." Prince Hans of the Southern Isles extended her an elegant bow. "We are honored by your presence."

"Prince Hans," She returned his greeting, her smile not reaching her eyes.

She suppressed a shudder when he took her arm and led her over to a small table with a tea tray. "Princess, please extend my thanks to your parents for allowing me to attend the welcoming."

"Of course, Prince Hans." Bile rose in her throat as she choked out the hated words. "You are my betrothed. Mother and Father would want you here."

They continued to make small talk, Anna doing her best to ignore the smug glint in his eyes. Despite the pleasantries, everyone in the castle was painfully aware that Hans' presence was more than just a guest or even a suitor. He pretended to be just a simple prince, merely the twelth son of the king of the Southern Isles, but Anna hated how even his most humble polite requests were met with greater haste than her father's most strident commands. Hans held Arendelle's future in his grasp and he knew it.

The royal heralds blew a fanfare on their trumpets, the noise curtailing further conversation, to Anna's immense relief. She turned away from Hans, facing the doors. With impeccable manners, Cogsworth opened the doors, bowing deeply to the man striding through. Anna's first impression of King Sven was that one of the royal reindeer had managed to escape and put on a crown, but for all that, she found herself charmed by the man when it was her turn to greet him. He thanked her for the tea and moved on to talk with Prince Hans next.

Anna had been too busy paying attention to King Sven to notice that someone else was now in front of her in the reception line. With a quick apology, she grabbed a new cup of tea off the tray and spun to face her new guest. And in her haste, the teacup flew off the saucer...

...Splashing all over a very surprised looking platinum blonde. The whole room fell silent, no one moving, all eyes focused on the pair of girls. Anna found herself desperately wishing that lightning would strike her dead or something. Or that this was just a bad dream.

Fortunately, the tall blonde saved her. The beautiful girl turned to face King Adgar, daintily wiping off some of the tea with a handkerchief. "Majesty, forgive me, it's been an exhausting day. I am warmed by your welcome, but is there a room I might freshen up in before tonight's feast?" Anna decided then and there that she could listen to that voice all day. It was like pure music. And the fact that the girl was doing her best to pretend that she hadn't just been doused in tea was super generous.

"Of course, Princess Elsa. I'm sure my daughter would be more than happy to escort you to the chambers we've prepared for you."

"Thank you, your majesty." Elsa gave Adgar and Idunn a graceful curtsy before returning her attention to Anna. Mutely, the redhead gestured for the other girl to follow her. She was aware that, despite the reception continuing now that her little spectacle was over, everyone's eyes were still on her.

"Ohmygod, I'm so sorry about that, Princess Elsa!" Anna babbled once they were safely out of the foyer. "I was so nervous, and the cup just slipped. Please don't hate me!"

Elsa surprised her by laughing softly, her voice like a tinkling bell. "I don't mind, Princess. Those events are always so dull, I was considering tripping on something, myself. And please, I'm your guest for the next four months, call me Elsa."

"Only if you do the same for me."

Elsa grinned wickedly at her. "I think it might get a little confusing if we both go around calling each other Elsa."

Anna flushed, smiling back at the other girl. "I meant that you can just call me Anna." She eyed the tall blonde. "You really don't like those events, either?"

"Nope. Everyone bored out of their minds, saying the same rote phrases over and over, all the while secretly still sore from having their butts bounced around for hours in a carriage?" Elsa shook her head. "No thanks. At least your tea rescued me from the rest of it."

"Yes, well, here in Arendelle, we pride ourselves on our hospitality." Anna gave her guest a deep curtsy. "Please don't hesitate to come find me whenever you need a beverage spilled on you, your highness."

Elsa laughed.

* * *

_Next Chapter: Our foray into the past continues as Elsa is introduced to Hans. Meanwhile, back in the present, Anna has to deal with her reaction to the diary._

* * *

_A/N: So yeah, this one was a lot more fun to write than the previous one, although that one did have important background on Elsa. And now that Anna's got the book, the plot can really get going!_


	5. Chapter 5 - When You Wish Upon a Spark

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 5 - When You Wish Upon a Spark

* * *

_\- 250 Years ago, in June - _

Anna's pencil tapped against the paper. She'd been sketching all morning, working on honing her art skills. She looked down at the portrait she'd just completed, certain it was her best piece yet. She planned on going back later to turn it into a proper painting, but right now, she was extremely pleased with how this one had turned out.

The source of her inspiration was unaware of Anna's attention. Elsa chatted with Rapunzel and Eugene on one of the couches in the solar, laughing at one particularly bold quip from the boy. Sunlight streaming in through the windows surrounded the gorgeous blonde in a soft halo of light. The faint scent of Elsa's perfume teased Anna's nose, the unique blend of flowers, oil and a light scent that was uniquely Elsa sending a shiver throughout the watching redhead.

For the millionth time since the graceful blonde had arrived at the castle a month ago, Anna had to work to remind herself that not only was Elsa their guest, but she was also a girl - something that Anna definitely _had_ been noticing more and more recently - and therefore such thoughts were thoroughly inappropriate.

The platinum blonde had easily fit into their little group. She had a taste for fun that delighted Rapunzel and Eugene, and was always willing to go along with whatever trouble the three of them cooked up at the time. Three had become four, and now Anna couldn't picture Elsa not being there with them. She belonged so naturally. It felt _right._

And if, in the dim hours of the night, Anna found herself without sleep - visions of pale blonde hair and a slim figure dancing through her mind - well, that was a small price to pay. Even if said visions were getting more intense and detailed as the days passed by. Anna kept looking for excuses to spend time with Elsa, or just simply watch her, content to let her eyes feast on the forbidden beauty that had come to live with them.

Today, Rapunzel was busy putting Elsa's gorgeous hair into an intricate bun. Anna had to shove aside a spike of jealousy that flared up when she saw the other girl's fingers accidentally brush Elsa's shoulder. Then Elsa giggled as Eugene shot his girlfriend 'the smoulder'. By now the blonde was more than familiar with his patented look, but it still amused her whenever he tried it.

That giggle! Anna lived for that giggle. Whenever she was forced to be away from her friends, she would spend her time thinking up ways to make the blonde laugh. She wanted that laugh more than anything. Even more than chocolate. For Elsa's laugh, Anna would give up chocolate itself!

The clock in the corner chimed, and Elsa stood regretfully. "Please excuse me, my father wants to have lunch one more time before he leaves to return home."

"Bye." "See you later, Elsa." Rapunzel and Eugene waved farewell to her, their voices tumbling over each other.

Anna managed a smile and wave, mumbling a goodbye to the blonde - at least she hoped it was a goodbye. Her mind was completely occupied with drinking in the gentle sway of Elsa's hips as she gracefully exited the room. She was so busy watching the tall girl leave that she didn't notice the sly looks exchanged between Rapunzel and Eugene.

"So Anna, you've been more involved than usual with your art." Eugene commented offhandedly.

"I'll say," Rapunzel agreed. "Usually they have to break out the winch to drag you to your lessons." She grinned wickedly. "I wonder where all your newfound enthusiasm comes from..."

"She does seem awfully dedicated, doesn't she?" Eugene nodded. "Shall we see what she's been drawing?"

"No!" Anna shrieked, turning away from him and clutching her sketchbook to her chest. Little did she realize that the pair had been counting on that exact reaction.

Rapunzel plucked the pad from her grasp, holding it out of reach of the fuming redhead. Her teasing look faded as she stared at the drawing. Not speaking, she flipped page after page, looking back through Anna's various drawings.

The redhead hung her head, shame coloring her cheeks. She knew what the brunette was seeing. Every page in her latest volume was the same. All Elsa. Elsa in her gown from the night of the welcoming feast. Elsa in a riding dress, mounted on her horse. Elsa tagging along with them while they raided the castle kitchens, flour dusting them. Elsa singing from her seat on a bench in the garden. Every page was a dedication of Anna's feelings for the tall blonde. The words she couldn't say, the longings she suppressed. Day after day, she poured her heart out into her art.

"What is it, Punz?" Eugene could be adorably oblivious at times, but even he seemed to pick up on the change in the mood of the room.

"Nothing, it's nothing." Rapunzel shut the sketchbook and handed it back to Anna. She raised her head to her boyfriend. "Can you go get us some tea please?"

"Okay." He shot a worried look to the two girls, but didn't question his girlfriend's request.

After he left, Rapunzel squeezed Anna's hand comfortingly. "Don't worry Anna. I would never tell anyone about it."

Anna squeezed her eyes shut. "I know it's wrong, Punz. I just can't help it. Every time I see her, all I can think about is how beautiful she is, how much I like talking with her. God, her voice. I could listen to her voice all day long. I... I want her. And you know that will never happen, for so many reasons."

"I had a feeling there was something more than just friendship between you two." Rapunzel commented slowly after a pause. "I have Eugene, so I know how when he looks at me, he's only seeing me, if you know what I mean. And the way each of you two looks at the other, it's the same."

"I hope no one else notices." Then Anna repeated what Rapunzel had just said in her mind. "Wait, you said the way we each look at the other...?"

"It's probably not my place to say anything." The brunette tried to hedge.

"What?" Anna asked, unreasonable hope building within her.

"She hides it better than you do, but I've caught her looking at you a time or two..." The other girl wriggled her fingers. "It's intense, you know?" She waited for Anna's nod before continuing. "Because she's our friend, I didn't want to mention it in case I was wrong."

"Is it wrong? Is it a sin to want this?" Anna despaired. "I mean, she's another girl and I'm engaged! That's like double sin."

"Anna." Rapunzel took a deep breath as her friend looked over at her. "I'll admit, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with the idea of two girls like that, and it's probably going to take me a little bit to get used to the idea, but, well... You were the one who encouraged me to be with Eugene, in spite of what everyone else thought, including my mother. I don't think I could bear to look at myself in the mirror if I didn't support you in the same way." She grinned, a small, weak thing, but there nonetheless. "So let's look at this logically."

"What is logical about any of this?" Anna sighed.

"First, does it bother you that you like another girl?"

"I like you, don't I?" Anna tried to joke, but the serious expression remained on Rapunzel's face.

"You do, but it's not the same thing." Her friend spoke slowly to emphasize her point. "Do you like - and I mean really like - Elsa?"

"I do." Anna admitted, defeated. "God, the first thing I thought when we first met - after the tea thing - was how pretty she is and how much I love listening to her voice. Oh. My. God. Her voice! I could listen to her all day. Every time I hear her, I feel this spark..."

"You do have it bad." Rapunzel squeezed her hand fondly. She continued. "So, it doesn't bother you."

"Not really."

"Next, we have to consider what Elsa thinks."

"But you said she keeps looking at me the same way!" Anna pointed out.

"True, but she might not even be aware that she feels that way, Anna." The brunette ticked off her points on her fingers. "She might even deny it. Or she might lie about it because she doesn't think that you want the same thing." Rapunzel paused, letting her words sink in. "What will you do if she tells you any of that?"

"Well, I certainly won't hit her in the face with a frying pan." Anna teased her friend, depserately grasping for some sense of control.

"Eugene can be really dense at times." Rapunzel admitted with a giggle.

"I don't know what I'd do." Anna looked to the other girl. "I mean, I have no idea how I should, you know, tell her all this."

"Okay, so that's something we need to figure out. Lastly, what about Hans? You're engaged to marry him in three months, what are you going to do about that?"

"Ummmm, hit him with a frying pan?"

"You can't avoid this, Anna."

"I know! It would be so much easier without that stupid treaty." She sighed. "But after how bad last year's harvest was, and this year isn't looking much better, we'll never be able to feed the kingdom if we don't do something! I just wish there was any other choice."

More than ever, Anna wished that the Southern Isles, Arendelle's biggest trade partner and currently the source of nine-tenths of the kindom's food supply, hadn't insisted on sealing the treaty with a marriage. She loathed Hans, but for the sake of her people, she was trapped into marrying him. She kept trying to find a solution, anything that would let her help her people without having to go through with it. Sadly for her, the devastatingly bad harvests of the past year meant there were very few options.

Her latest proposal to her father was to expand their ice trade. France was always hungry for more ice, their current king obsessed with ice sculptures. Unfortunately, as Adgar had pointed out, despite their vigorous ice trade, it was summer, and Arendelle simply didn't have that much ice to export.

Anna would need a miracle.

* * *

\- _Present Day - _

_'...I wish I could do more for my friend, find some small way to ease her aching heart. Alas, I feel as trapped as she does. Mother is taking advantage of the situation, pressuring me to end my relationship with Eugene and find an acceptable suitor. After all, she says, if the Crown Princess can marry for duty, surely I can as well._

_Every day that passes, the wedding draws closer and Anna falls further and further into a black state. We have a little over three months until the marriage, but as it stands, I fear my friend will surrender to grief before that.'_

"Oh Joan, I know she has her duty, but how can she just marry herself off to that slimeball?" Anna asked the painting. Morning light was filtering in through the windows, bathing her in its soft glow, but she barely noticed. She didn't even realize she'd been up all night reading the diary. "He's totally taking advantage of her. Using her. She should smack him with the frying pan. You would do it, right? Me too, Joan."'

Anna marked her place in the book, sitting up with a wince as her muscles protested. "It's just not right. She's only trying to help, to do the right thing. Anna needs to stand up to him! I mean, he's a bully, even if he's being polite about it. Ooooh, it makes me so mad! Anna deserves better than that creep Hans."

"Anna, why are you talking about yourself in the third person?" For a moment, Anna thought she must be going crazy and Joan had just spoken to her, but Joan's voice probably wasn't so rough and masculine. Kristoff was peeking in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face.

"Oh, hi Kris. I was just thinking out loud. And I wasn't talking about me, anyway." She held up the slim diary. "I found something else last night."

"Wow." Kristoff reverently took the book in his hands, examining the cover. His eyes widened when he read the title page. "Anna, if this is for real, this is big. I mean like, 'your own research grant' big."

"Really?" She asked, excited.

"Well, you'd have to confirm it with Elsa, but Lady Rapunzel was one of the last inhabitants of Arendelle before it collapsed. She and her husband Lord Eugene are credited with bringing the survivors to one of the neighboring kingdoms. If this is actually her diary, we might get to find out exactly what happened back then! You'd be famous!"

"Oh wow!" Anna gleefully pictured herself, mobbed by adoring students begging for her to speak to them. "Um, Kristoff...?"

He frowned at her. "Don't tell me, you want to keep this secret too?"

"Just until I've read it once. After that we can tell everyone."

"Fine, but only on one condition." He insisted.

"What?" She asked warily.

"I get to read it with you. I want to know, too!"

"Deal!" She stuck out her hand and he shook it.

* * *

_\- Late that night - _

"Pabbie?" Kristoff called to the moonlit clearning. "Pabbie, something else happened."

Grandpabbie rolled up, an excited expression on his rocky face. "She found the book, didn't she? After all these years, someone finally found the book!" He chortled. "Has she read it all yet?"

"No." Kristoff shook his head. "She's only just started it."

"Good. We can't have her learning everything too fast. You need to make sure she goes slowly."

The boy sat on a nearby rock - not a troll, he was careful - and sighed. "I don't like lying to her, Pabbie. I mean, if this is that important, we should warn her."

"I know." Grandpabbie rolled over to him. "It's hard, hiding things from people you care about, but we trolls made a promise, long ago. We can't get involved yet. Even talking to you like this is pushing the borders of that promise."

"I know you'd tell me if you could." Kristoff reassured the troll.

"We just want to put things right this time." Bulda spoke up from the other side.

"Bulda! That's enough." Pabbie scolded her. "We _promised!_"

"He needs more than that, Pabbie." The female troll retorted. "If you won't tell him, I will."

"Fine." He turned back towards Kristoff. "We tried to help, long ago, but it didn't work. This time, we want to let things build up before we involve ourselves. That's why I asked you to keep an eye on Anna. We will help her, but first she needs to help herself."

"Thanks, Pabbie, Bulda." The trolls were already rolling away, but his curiousity made him ask one more question. "Can you at least tell me why you're so interested in Anna in particular?"

"Figure it out yourself, you have the book now." Pabbie rumbled before disappearing.

"I hate it when he says that," Kristoff muttered before turning back towards Arendelle.

* * *

_\- A few weeks later - _

"Is!"

"Is not!"

"Is!"

"Is not!"

"Is!"

"No she's not!" Anna fumed. How thickheaded could he be?

Kristoff glared back at her across the table, a copy of the current journal entry they were discussing in his hands. He was reading the same words she was, how could he not see how obvious it was?

Anna had quickly fallen into a routine after finding the journal. Mornings and afternoons were spent in the library with Elsa, while evenings she'd go over an entry from the journal with Kristoff. So far, the boy had kept his word and not told any of the others about the diary, although not a night didn't go by without him pointing out that Elsa knew far more about the history of the area than he did, and she would probably be a big help in digging out clues from the little book.

Anna kept resisting involving the blonde, though her arguments were getting weaker and weaker. Last night all she'd been able to come up with was 'You promised!', which made her sound like she was five, even to her.

The truth was, Elsa made Anna nervous. It wasn't anything she did, rather it was how the blonde made her feel. Ever since the Towel Incident - the event had acquired capital letters in Anna's mind - she'd been skittish around the other girl. Elsa herself wasn't acting any differently than usual, so Anna was forced to admit that the problem was herself. Between the Towel Incident - it also demanded its full title whenever she thought about it - and reading about Past-Anna crushing on Past-Elsa in a big way, Anna's feelings were in a knot.

So now, even little disagreements with Kristoff bubbled out into snippy fights. Anna didn't like being so, well... bitchy, but she couldn't seem to help it. Latest example, the fight they were having over whether Past-Anna was selfish by trying to ignore what was best for her kingdom.

Kristoff obviously thought he was right in saying she was, that feeding her people was more important than her personal feelings. Anna - present-Anna, that is (it still got confusing when they'd be fighting, and she would have a hard time figuring out which Anna he was talking about) - felt that other-Anna was right, and that if she gave in to Hans, it would only lead to worse things later on.

"Kris, I know they need the food, but think about it. If he takes advantage of her now, what about when the next problem happens? Or the one after that? She needs to tell him no, set some boundaries and be true to herself!"

"Anna, if they all starve to death, there won't be a next time."

"But she doesn't love him! She's only doing this because everyone expects her to!" She argued, ruthlessly ignoring the tiny part of her trying to draw parallels to her own Hans. "If she goes through with it, she'll be devastated."

"She'll be just as devastated if everyone dies because of her."

"But, she should be with who she loves."

"She can't."

"Why not?" Anna demanded. "Elsa makes her happy!"

"Well, even if Hans wasn't in the picture, think about it. Do you think that they'd let two women be together like that two hundred years ago? No marriage, no children, no royal line."

"But..." Anna could feel her face heating up. Logically, she should have thought of that. At the time, it had been so obvious to her. Past-Anna loved Past-Elsa, therefore they should be together. Of course, if they really liked each other that way, they'd want to get married, or at least as close to it as they could back then. And if they were married, that would mean...

Would mean...

Would...

...mean...

Anna gulped, not wanting her mind to go any further down that road. She was definitely not thinking about what two women who were almost-married might do together. Nope. Not thinking about it. No wondering how it felt, either. Or how - ahem - it was performed, to put it delicately. How did two women, you know, do that, anyway? Wait, no. No no no. Bad Anna, get your mind off that.

Blushing fiercely, Anna bolted to her feet. "I think we've discussed this one enough for tonight. I'm, uh, I'm gonna go to Oaken's, I need to unwind."

"I'm all for unwinding, but I was thinking somewhere not so 'eight year old slumber party'." He grabbed his coat and Betsi's keys. "Let's go to the Poison Apple."

Anna frowned at the mention of the small pub in town, but followed him anyway. She'd only been there a few times over the past month, and it wasn't her usual scene. Still, maybe a change of pace was just what she needed right now. Something to get her mind off... that.

"The Poison Apple sounds good to me."

* * *

_\- Some time after midnight -_

Elsa glared at her phone, willing the evil, sleep-interrupting monster to spontaneously burst into flames. When it didn't blow up under the force of her mental powers, she sighed and picked it up. "Hello?"

"_Elsa?"_ A familiar voice greeted her.

"Kristoff Bjorgman, it is currently-" She checked her clock. "-one thirteen AM. This had better be an emergency."

"_I'm at the Poison Apple._" He sounded pretty drunk, now that she was paying attention. "_Betsi won't start, not even when I hit the engine with the sledge."_

"That makes sense, seeing as Betsi is not a real car."

_"She's not so bad! Just a bit tempermemper... uh, picky."_

"So get a cab, then. Trust me, no one would steal Betsi. Just looking at her makes you poorer." She growled. "I'm going back to bed."

"_Wait! The cabs won't pick us up."_ He begged her.

"Why not? And what do you mean by 'us'?"

"_Anna's here too!"_

Elsa saw red. Forcing her temper down, she counted to ten and carefully spoke into the phone. "You took Anna drinking at the Poison Apple?"

"_Yup!"_

"And you can't get a cab, why exactly?"

_"Cause Anna barfed on the hood of the one that came to pick us up!"_ His drunkely cheerful voice informed her proudly. _"So we need you to come get us."_

Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, I can strangle Kristoff in the morning. Elsa dragged herself out of bed, cursing under her breath. She picked an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt out of her dirty laundry pile at random and put them on. "I'm on the way, Kris. And before I get there, I want to explain some rules. No liquids of any kind in the van. Tell Anna that includes hot chocolate especially. And if either of you regurgitates anything, YOU are cleaning it tomorrow."

"_Okiedokie." _She then heard him yell to Anna. _"Hey Anna, Elsa says no regurgitation!"_

"_Regur- What?"_ Elsa could hear faintly in the background.

"_Don't barf in her van!"_ Kristoff clarified.

Elsa sighed. It was going to be a very long night.

* * *

_\- A few hours previously - _

"Hey Kris," Anna rested her chin on the bar, staring blankly into the mug of beer in front of her. It was so golden. And foamy!

"Yeah?"

"How do you know when you love someone?" She asked.

"I don't know, I guess you just know." He had already finished one beer and was starting on his second. "I mean, if you're in love, it should be obvious, right?"

"Obvious..." Anna pondered. "Obvious, huh? What does it mean if it's not obvious with Hans?"

"Hans is a douche and we already know Anna doesn't love him at all."

"I wasn't talking about journal-Hans, I meant my Hans." Anna watched the bubbles float up in her beer for a minute before drinking some. "He's my boyfriend, but it's not obvious."

"Then you don't love him." He nodded sagely.

"What if love is one of those things you can grow into?"

"Anna," Kristoff sounded reasonably sober for a moment. "You haven't mentioned him once in over two weeks. It's been a month since you've even talked to him. Do you really see love growing there?"

"It could..."

"How about this, then? When you're with him, is there a spark there?"

"A spark?" Anna thought she knew what he was talking about, but the beer was making her think slower than usual.

"Yeah, when you think about him, does your pulse race? When you kiss him, is there a spark? That jolt that makes you want more?" He waved vaguely. "You know, like Rapunzel said in the journal. She felt that spark the first time she kissed Eugene. It's how she knew she loved him. It's what journal-Anna felt whenever she saw journal-Elsa. So, you and Hans, is there a spark?"

Anna thought back, remembering all the dates she'd had with the boy. The answer depressed her. "No. Kissing him is nice, but... no. It's not there." She tried to salvage the situation. "But... what if you were friends with someone for a long time first? I mean, if you're just friends, there's no spark, but then one day, you look at them and boom! Spark!"

"Well, maybe in that case the spark was there all along."

"Or maybe you can grow into it."

"Why are you so worried about this now?" Kristoff asked her.

"Because I need the spark. I've been with Hans for six months, I need the spark to hurry up and grow." Anna growled, frustrated.

"Maybe he's not right for you then."

"You haven't even met him!" Anna was getting mad again. "I need another beer."

* * *

_\- That night, after the phone call - _

Elsa pulled into the lot of the Poison Apple, easily spotting Kristoff and Anna. Kristoff leaned against Betsi, using the rust monster for support, while Anna looked to be half asleep, sitting on one of the concrete lot dividers. The smell from a pool of vomit next to the redhead assaulted her nose as she parked the van and got out to meet her friends. _Kristoff, I'm going to murder you for this one._

"Hey, Elsa!" The boy stumbled towards her.

"Kristoff." She replied, dodging his attempt at a drunken hug. She walked over to where Anna was dozing and picked her up. The girl's eyes fluttered open and she draped an arm around Elsa's waist.

"Elsa... I think... _uurrppt..._" The redhead gagged slightly. "I think I might break that no barfing rule... _mlgpgpgph_."

Elsa barely managed to get Anna over to the grass before the girl deposited the rest of her dinner on the ground. She held the ailing redhead, supporting her as she threw up. Finally, she finished, and Elsa helped her up, discretely pulling out a small towelette and wiping Anna's face clean. Fortunately, the younger girl was still pretty out of it and she simply stood still while Elsa cleaned her up as best she could.

Once Anna was ready to go, Elsa pulled Kristoff away from Betsi and guided her drunken charges into the van. Kristoff got the middle seat, seeing as he was still mostly awake, but Elsa insisted on putting Anna in the front seat where not only would she be fully belted in, but Elsa could keep an eye on her as well.

They rode back to Arendelle in silence except for Anna's light snores. A line of drool dripped from the corner of the girl's mouth and her hair had escaped her usual pigtails. The red mane was a mess, and Elsa didn't want to think about what some of the flecks sticking to it might be. Of course, Anna's clothes weren't much better. Several stains of various colors spotted her shirt and skirt, and something green was sticking to her wrist.

Arriving at Arendelle, Elsa pointed Kristoff towards his room with a veiled threat about having a talk the next morning. She managed to get Anna awake enough that she wouldn't have to carry the girl completely, but the redhead still wrapped herself over the taller blonde. With a muttered complaint, Elsa dragged the inebriated girl back towards her room.

Fortunately for them, everyone else was asleep, so Elsa detoured to the bathroom first. Settling Anna on the lid of the toilet, she moistened as many paper towels as she could and proceeded to clean the redhead as best she could.

By the time she'd finished, Anna had fallen asleep again. Cursing Kristoff yet again and vowing to make him pay for this whole endeavor, Elsa hauled Anna up and draped the girl against her so she could get the redhead to her own room. She fished the key out of Anna's pocket, ignoring the giggled snore that provoked, and led Anna into the room. Taking a clean-ish towel from the rack, she put it on the bed and carefully laid Anna down on top of it. At least that way, the poor girl wouldn't mess up her sheets too badly.

That done, Elsa dashed back to her room for a couple items that might help. She left the glass of water and some aspirins on Anna's desk, along with a short note instructing her to drink more as soon as she could. She was about to leave when she saw Anna raise her head, her eyes latched onto Elsa.

"Elsaaaaaaaaaa..." She drunkenly called. "I - _hic_ \- I need to ask you something."

"You're drunk, Anna. We can talk in the morning." Elsa rubbed her neck, groaning inwardly. If she could just get Anna to go to sleep, she might be able to salvage a few hours of rest, herself.

"I'm smashed!" She giggled. "But I still need to find out."

"Find out what?" Elsa asked tiredly. "I need to go to bed, you can tell me whatever it is tomorrow."

"Nuh uh, now!" Anna shook her head and thumped the bed next to her. "C'meeeerrre."

"Fine," Elsa surrendered with a sigh and sat down on the corner of the bed, turning to look at the other girl. "What were you going to - _mmmppphhh"_

Anna grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulling her down until their faces met. Arching up off the bed, the younger girl mashed their lips together. A jolt ran through Elsa at the sloppy contact, but before she could react at all, Anna collapsed back on the bed.

"Oh hey, there's the spark." The redhead proclaimed. Then she promptly passed out.

* * *

_Next Chapter: The next morning. Also, more of what happened in the past._


	6. Chapter 6 - Ask a Stupid Question

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 6 - Ask a Stupid Question...

* * *

_\- The next morning - _

Anna closed her eyes, desperately trying to block out the painful rays of light stabbing into them. Worse, the marching band that was currently using her head for practice seemed to take the faint light as a sign to play even louder. Not to mention, her mouth felt like a million spiders decided to spin webs all inside. All in all, she decided being hungover sucked.

It took her three attempts before she was able to stand without the whole room spinning around her. Absently, she picked up the glass of water and aspirins on her desk and swallowed the pills in one go. She drained the water just as quickly, her mouth feeling a thousand percent better already.

_Wait... how did that get here? I don't remember being that prepared last night._ Anna paused, thinking. _I don't remember anything about last night at all._ She looked down at herself, taking inventory of the damage.

Her clothes were probably a loss. Various colors of stains decorated them, and her skirt was ripped a little along the side. She lifted the shirt out from her body, sniffed it and recoiled. Yup. the shirt was dead. Gone. Buried. At least she'd washed most of the worst of it off her skin before she'd crashed last night.

She took off the skirt, holding it forlornly in front of her. It too was probably going to join the shirt in the land of the dead. She didn't even Elsa's dry cleaners had enough magic to save it. The snow swirling down outside the window seemed to mourn her loss as well. Apparently she'd been sleeping even longer than she'd thought, as a steady amount of snow was falling all around Arendelle.

With a regretful sigh, she tossed the shirt in the wastebasket. As she did so, she spotted a note on the desk. Curious, she picked it up. Only a few lines of elegant script covered the top section of the page.

_'Anna,_

_If you haven't already, take the aspirins and drink the water. Be sure you drink plenty more water today. And if you're still feeling unwell, take the day off and rest._

_-Elsa_

_P.S. - Take a shower, too!'_

Anna blushed. Elsa must have brought her home last night, though how she'd known to do so, Anna wasn't sure. It had been only her and Kristoff after all. She could only hope she hadn't been too embarrassing. Then her blush deepened as a new thought occured to her. Elsa must have also been the one who'd cleaned her up after bringing her home.

_Kill. Me. Now._

Well, Anna could deal with that later. Right now, Elsa's last suggestion sounded good to her. She plucked a clean towel from the pile and walked out the door to the bathroom.

* * *

Elsa's morning wasn't going much better than Anna's, though for a diffent reason. The events of the previous night were etched in her brain, repeating over and over as she sat on her bed, her knees clutched to her chest. The snowstorm raging outside her window barely even registered to her, only that with so much snow, the site would be closed tomorrow. Today. Whatever, not important.

_Anna kissed me!_

Wonderingly, she rubbed her lips again, her fingers searching for any remaining hint of the warmth of the redhead's kiss. Sure, Anna had been drunk and clumsy, and the kiss had been way too short, and the other girl had smelled like stale beer and other, less pleasant things. But for all that, Elsa didn't care. The moment Anna's lips met hers, her whole world had exploded. That one kiss had doomed her. Before this, Elsa had thought about the redhead from time to time, but now, her mind had only one thought running through it. Anna.

If only she could know what the redhead had been thinking. Was it curiousity? A drunken impulse? A mistake? An experiment? Anna had passed out before Elsa could ask her, leaving the older girl with too many questions. One popped up more and more as the day wore on.

_Does she like me too?_

* * *

_\- 250 Years ago -_

Princess Anna ducked around the corner, taking care that Elsa didn't spot her following the blonde. She'd noticed the older girl would disappear from time to time, and she refused to say where she went whenever Anna would ask. It frustrated her that her friend would keep such a secret, considering they shared almost everything else already. So Anna had Rapunzel and Eugene cover for her so she could follow Elsa and get some answers for herself.

Elsa left the castle, walking quickly along the old trail to the North Mountain. Why on earth would she be going there? The mountain had an evil reputation among the locals, and even Anna had been frightened by tales of the dark creatures that roamed its heights. The more learned scholars dismissed those rumors, but Anna noticed that not even they would willingly go there unless asked, and even then, never after dark.

By contrast, Elsa strolled unconcernedly along the trail, as if she were on a mere pleasure outing. Anna followed the blonde to a clearing high on the slopes of the mountain. She watched the older girl take off her cloak, folding it neatly before setting it to one side. Elsa strode to the middle of the clearing and threw her hands up towards the heavens.

And then it snowed.

It was clearly no natural snow, but rather something born purely of magic. Thin white spirals swirled down, wrapping themselves around Elsa's wrists before shooting back up into the air. The streams slammed together around the tops of the trees, showering the clearing with a light dusting of snow.

As the snow fell around her, Elsa began to dance. Slowly at first, then building in speed, the blonde's body shifted and moved to a rhythym only she could hear. Each footstep left a small ring of ice on the ground, a glittering blue circle that sparkled in the bright summer sun. Elsa's breath puffed out as she danced, misting in the air as if this bright summer day was really the deepest reaches of winter.

From her spot on the edge of the clearing, Anna could only watch in awe as Elsa danced. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Without thought, her hands pulled her sketchpad from her bag, and she began to draw. Her pencil flew across the page, capturing the essence of Elsa's dance. The beauty of it. The beauty of her.

She was so caught up in her sketch that she didn't notice when Elsa stopped dancing. The platinum blonde stared right at her hiding spot, frozen in place by shock and fear. A delicate pale hand flew up to her mouth and her eyes widened in horror. And some deep part of Anna knew that she had only seconds to stop the other girl before she fled.

"Elsa, wait." Anna called to her.

Elsa froze in place, ice radiating out from her feet, covering the ground, but Anna paid it no mind. She advanced on the other girl, keeping her movements slow and unthreatening. The blonde watched her nervously, her eyes tracking Anna's every motion. Anna's heart hammered in her chest, knowing that the slightest mistake would send the blonde running and build a wall between them that Anna might never be able to knock down.

She was only a pace from the blonde when she stopped. Gently, so very gently, Anna reached out, taking Elsa's pale hand in hers. Her thumb traced circles around the other girls, Anna marvelling at the soft warmth under her touch. Her other hand cupped Elsa's chin, forcing the taller girl to meet her gaze. Finally the platinum blonde spoke. "How long were you watching?"

"Long enough." Anna replied softly. "Elsa, that was amazing."

"You... You're not scared?" Elsa asked, the fear slowly leaving her face.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful." Anna confirmed. "Have you always been able to do that?"

"Yes." Elsa's voice was quiet.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anna couldn't help a note of hurt in her voice.

"I was afraid." The blonde replied. "You're really not scared of me?"

"Elsa, I could never be frightened of you." She linked her fingers with Elsa's. Smiling at her friend, she turned back towards the clearing. "Will you show me more?"

* * *

\- _Present Day_ -

"Kristoff, I cannot believe you'd take her out drinking! What were you thinking?" Elsa demanded. "And if Betsi had started, you would have tried to drive home. Are you suicidal or just stupid?"

She'd buried her confusion over the 'does Anna like me?' situation beneath a nice stew of anger and frustration, and sought Kristoff out shortly after lunch. The boy had been sleeping on a couch, groaning when he moved his head too quickly at her sudden entrance. And so, for the next twenty minutes, he'd been treated to the impressive sight of an angry Elsa.

"Please, Elsa, not now, my head is killing me." He drank some more water.

"Yes now! Maybe this way, you'll actually _think_ for once next time!" Elsa insisted.

"Well, you got us home, safe and sound, nothing was permanently damaged, so what's the big deal?" Kristoff asked.

"The 'big deal' is you took one of our undergrads out drinking, Kristoff! You should know better!"

"She's not a child, Elsa. She can make her own decisions."

"I couldn't bear to see her hurt!" Elsa exclaimed. Her face flushed as Kristoff stared at her. She hadn't been thinking at all. The words had simply popped out on their own. _Oh no! Nonononono! Deep breaths. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal._ She calmed her breathing as she tried to think up a convincing lie to cover her slipup. "I just mean, I worry about you all. You guys scared me last night."

Kristoff watched her warily, nodding as if he accepted her exaggeration, though Elsa privately had her doubts. She'd need to do plenty of cleanup for a while, it seemed. "Sorry Elsa, I guess I wasn't thinking."

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have exploded at you like that. I'm still tired from last night." She rubbed her neck. "Just... don't let it happen again."

"I won't."

"Well... good, I guess." She turned to leave the break room. "I'm going to catch a shower and take a nap. I hope you feel better soon, Kris."

On her way out the door, a piece of paper caught her eye. She picked it up. It appeared to be a copy of a small book of some sort, however it wasn't numbered from any of the piles in the library. "What's this?" She asked her friend.

"It's nothing." He tried to snatch it from her hands.

"Really?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "Well, I'm sure you won't mind if I take a look at it then?"

"Don't, please." He sighed. "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone about it, not yet anyway."

"Fine, I won't make you break your promise. But I can't say I'm not curious." Elsa handed him the paper. "Tell me when you can, okay?"

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, June -_

"Hey Elsa, do you want to make a snowman?" Anna smiled at the tall girl. Once again, she'd followed Elsa into the woods. This time, though, the blonde hadn't tried to hide from her. She'd merely waited while Anna spread a blanket under one of the trees and sat down with her sketch pad. And like last time, Elsa danced.

Today's sketch captured Elsa at the pinnacle of her dance. That moment when her snow would wrap itself around her wrists, just before she released it back into the sky. That one perfect instant, with Elsa sparkling in the sun like a diamond. Beauty. Grace. Perfection. Anna strove to translate what she saw in Elsa to the page, but she feared it fell far short of the girl in front of her.

After the dance, she'd sat with Elsa and had a picnic lunch she'd packed earlier that day. Now, they were trying to come up with other things to do. Anna was curious to see the full extent of what Elsa could do. And so...

"A snowman? Really?" Elsa grinned at her.

"Yup!" Anna nodded confidently. "A snowman in the middle of summer! I'm sure you can manage that."

"I've never made a snowman before." Elsa admitted. At Anna's questioning look, she clarified. "Not with my powers, I mean. I'll give it a try."

The blonde took a deep breath and extended her hands horizontal to the ground. The blue-white glow of her magic surrounded her outstretched limbs and snow started to circle down towards the ground. Two small ovals coalesced for legs, then one huge lump for a stomach. One slightly smaller one for the torso, then she started work on the head. Unfortunately, the hot summer sun distorted the lumps of snow almost as fast as she could create it, so by the time she finished, the perfect spheres she'd envisioned were... not so perfect. Elsa frowned, and a tiny cloud formed over the snowman, shading it from further damage from the sum.

"Not bad." Anna said from behind Elsa's shoulder. "Something is missing, though."

"What?" The blonde asked. Anna smiled, reaching down into the picnic basket. She produced her prize. Elsa raised her eyebrow. "A carrot?"

"He needs a nose." Anna popped the carrot into the face, just above the mouth. She picked up some twigs, two long ones and a handful of short ones. She held them out to Elsa. "Arms and hair." Three rocks joined the collection. "Aaaannnnnndddd, his buttons!" She grinned proudly at the blonde. "Now Olaf is done!"

"Olaf?" Elsa inquired. "Why Olaf?"

"He looks like an Olaf, doesn't he?"

"That doesn't mean anything, Anna."

"Fine, Olaf might happen to also be a particularly dopey looking knight who serves my father."

Elsa giggled at that. "Okay, Olaf it is." She curtsied to the snowman. "I'm Princess Elsa, it's a pleasure to meet you, good Sir Olaf."

Anna joined her friend. "And I'm Anna."

Elsa reached out, squeezing Anna's hand, unaware just how much the redhead thrilled at holding hands with the beautiful blonde. "You were right, Anna. This is fun!"

Neither of them noticed the figure of Rapunzel watching them from deeper in the forest.

* * *

_\- Present day -_

Anna tossed aside the pages in disgust, glaring at the photocopy as if it had personally insulted her. Ever since the little drinking disaster a week ago, she and Elsa had been avoiding each other by an unspoken agreement. The blonde had taken to working in her room, while Anna only had to sort a few piles of books. And with the snowstorm still going on, she couldn't even walk to Oaken's. It left her plenty of time to explore the contents of the diary with Kristoff. Unfortunately, today's entry that she was going over with Kristoff was completely ridiculous. "Well, I guess this book won't be my big ticket to fame and fortune. I was hoping this would provide some serious answers."

"I thought you wanted to know what happened back then just as much as I do." The boy asked her, still engrossed in reading his page.

"I do." Anna groaned. "But this is just nonsense. You can't tell me you believe in ice magic! Totally ridiculous! There's no such thing!"

"How can you say that?" Kristoff looked like someone just ran over his puppy. "I thought all the stories of magic and curses were why you wanted to come here."

"I love those stories! But I want to find out the truth behind them." Anna waved a hand. "Nonsense like 'she did it with ice magic' doesn't really help, you know?"

"How do you know?"

"Ice magic. Ice. Magic. It's not real, Kris." She couldn't believe they were having a serious conversation about magic. "I could be persuaded to see it as a metaphor or something, but... no, there's no such thing as magic. Rapunzel must be talking about something else."

"Well, she was obviously freaked out about something, Anna." His finger traced one sentence. "Listen to this: '_It was an idle whim on my part, to follow them that day, but clearly there is truth in the old saying, that idle hands are the devil's playthings. I watched as Elsa, whom I had considered a friend, conjured forth an unnatural blizzard in the middle of summer. The very snows themselves danced to her command. And the glow of unholy powers surrounded her hands, as further proof of her sins.'_ That sounds a lot like magic to me."

"This is the north of Norway, it's not beyond possibility for there to be snow during the summer. And all the records agree that year was especially cold. It was probably just a coincidence, a freak snowstorm." Anna reasoned. "She followed her friends on a... a date, freaked out when she saw them together, and the snow just added to that. All logical, no magic needed."

"Or it could be magic." Anna glared at him as he continued. "_Something_ happened that drove out the entire population of the kingdom in one day and night. Why couldn't it be ice magic?"

"Fine, its your GPA." She threw up her hands in frustration. "When we write papers on this, you can put down 'ice magic' while I confirm 'unusually cold year, including freak snowstorms'. Care to guess who's going to get a higher grade for that?"

"Look, at least keep an open mind."

"I do, but you have to draw the line somewhere, and magic is it for me." Anna reasoned. "I'm sorry, but there is no such thing as magic. No flying carpets, no leprechauns, and no elves. Except Keebler Elves." She amended.

"Really? Keebler Elves?" Kristoff smirked.

"What can I say? I'm the High Priestess of the Temple of Chocolate." She grinned.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago - _

"Rapunzel?" Anna knocked on the door, worried. For the past three days, her friend had been avoiding her, avoiding everyone. She'd locked herself in her room, only opening the door to let servants with her meals in. The first day, Anna thought she might merely be sick or tired. The second, Anna had sent notes with the servants, begging for her friend to reply. Now, she was ready to have soldiers break down the door if necessary. "Come on, Punz, open up. I'm worried about you, so is Eugene, and so is Elsa."

Silence.

"Come on, sweetheart." Eugene looked even more worried than she was. "Talk to us. Whatever is going on, we can help you."

Still no reply.

Anna _hmmph_ed. "Eugene, is there a back passage to get into her suite?"

"Um..." He turned his face from Anna, red suffusing it.

"There is!" Anna growled. "I don't care why you guys didn't tell me before and I promise I won't tell anyone else, but this is important."

"She said she'd break up with me on the spot if I ever use it without her permission, Anna."

"Something is wrong with her! Don't you think helping her is more important right now?" Anna really wished Elsa didn't have lessons right now, as she was sure the other girl would side with her and outvote the boy. "We need to do something!"

"Fine..." He grumbled. He looked around, checking the halls, but no one else was in sight. "Come on, this way."

Anna followed him down a side hall to a small, nondescript door set in one wall. He opened it, revealing one of the many servants' passages that ran throughout the castle. They ducked inside, and Eugene pulled the door shut behind them. Taking a candle from the nearby stand, he started off through the passage.

They had to take several turns - going around the outside of rooms was Anna's guess - before he stopped them in front of a door that looked no different from any of the dozens of others they'd passed on the way. He rested his hand on it nervously. "Here it is."

"Ugh, you know what? You stay here. Or better yet, go back to the main door of her place and keep trying there. I'll tell her I had one of the other servants show me this." He smiled wanly at her, grateful for the cover. "So if anyone is going to get in trouble for this, it'll be me. Now go, I'll give you five minutes, then I'm opening it."

"Thanks, Anna!" He smiled at her, then sobered. "Seriously, thank you. I'm really worried about her."

Anna waved to him as he walked away, then settled to wait and give him time to get back to Rapunzel's front door. When she finally couldn't stand it, she slid the latch on the door and pulled it open. The room beyond was dim, the only source of illumination the light of the candles in the passage behind her and the sun peeking through cracks in the curtains. She caught movement to one side out of the corner of her eyes and turned to face it.

Rapunzel clearly hadn't bathed in the past three days, and her hair was a mess. Her eyes stared wildly at Anna, the primal fear behind them causing her to recoil a step. Her friend clutched a frying pan to her chest like a weapon, then brandished it towards Anna, waving it around threateningly. Anna tried to be soothing as she called out to the other girl. "Rapunzel? What happened?"

"Stay back!" The brunette shrieked at her.

Anna stopped where she was. "Okay, but you have to talk to me. I'm worried about you. Everyone is. Tell me what's going on."

"_You _know what's going on." Rapunzel laughed bitterly. "I saw you two, don't you dare try to pretend you don't know!" She pointed the frying pan at Anna accusingly. "I just don't get how you could go along with such a thing! I thought you were a good person!"

"What are you talking about? Why am I suddenly not good?" Anna asked her, confused. What on earth was Rapunzel talking about? The last time she'd been with her friend, they'd all been out in the gardens, watching Eugene practice his riding on Maximus.

"Elsa!" Rapunzel spat out, and Anna froze in place. Suddenly, she understood. Somehow, Rapunzel must have followed them. Seen Elsa's powers. She _knew_.

"It's not what you think." Anna tried to explain.

"She's unnatural! She's using evil spells to bewitch you!" The other girl crossed herself. "Otherwise, why would you just let her do that?!"

"It's not evil!"

"It's _wrong!_ What she does..." The brunette shivered. "And you just watched her... You sketched her! She has you under her spell."

"Elsa would never do that, she's a good person." Anna started to get a little mad. Rapunzel was her friend, but so was Elsa.

"Then what is it? How would you explain it?" Tears leaked down the brunette's face, her eyes unable to hold back the fear and worry she must have stored up over the past three days.

"Punz, put down the frying pan and I'll tell you everything, okay?" She walked slowly past the other girl and opened the front door for Eugene. "I guess I owe you both an explanation. Well, it's really Elsa's, but I can tell you what I know."

* * *

\- _Present day -_

"Ha! I told you!" Kristoff cheered, waving the journal page triumphantly. He cleared his throat dramatically and began to read. "See right here? '_Against my better judgement, I listened to Anna's story. Elsa's powers were a gift, something she was born with, not a curse inflicted upon her. She never used them, except to bring beauty to the world. And so, I sat beside Eugene while our friend spoke of the wonder Elsa had showed her. Anna then persuaded Elsa, who had finally completed her lesson for the day and now joined us, to show us the power, that we might judge for ourselves._

_I now admit I was wrong in my first assumption. When Anna called it a wonder, she spoke more truth than she realized. What Elsa does is indeed a gift. Surely God would not put such beauty in the world only to corrupt it. Now that I have seen the true magic of the world, I wish to see more. Elsa's ice has opened the door.'_ See? She got to see the magic for herself."

"It still could just be a story or a prank, Kris." Anna searched her brain for an explanation. There had to be a logical explanation for this.

Kristoff smiled smugly at her and kept reading. " '_Elsa conjured forth a rose of ice, its petals snow. I touched it in Anna's hands, felt the cold of the ice, the powdery texture of the snow. It gleamed in the sunlight, but did not melt. Only magic could sustain it so. And only good could create such beauty in the first place.'_ A rose of ice in the middle of summer, Anna."

"But... Well... It could..." Anna started. Then she had an idea. "Maybe this is just a story she wanted to tell her kids or something? She's just writing down ideas to make into fairy tales later."

"Her entry a week ago was about making out with her boyfriend? Somehow I don't see her telling her kids about that." Kristoff smiled. "Would you want to hear the details of your parents' love life?"

Anna squashed down the _Ewwww!_ that mental image conjured up. "Okay, fine. Not everything in this is a story. But this part could be."

"Why are you so against believing, Anna?" He asked her.

"Because! There's no such thing as magic!" She stated, her voice wavering only a little. Her eyes dropped to the photocopies in front of them, and when she spoke again, it was much quieter. "There isn't."

"Fine, I'll leave it alone for today." Kristoff got up and stretched. "At least the snow's finally stopped, so I'm going to go to town for some fresh food. We can read another one tomorrow."

"Okay, seeya." Anna waved absently. Real food sounded good to her too, but she wanted a break from Kristoff. She was tired of arguing with him. Plus, with Elsa virtually living in her room for the past few days, he'd been one of the only people she'd had to talk to. She liked him, but she could definitely use some fresh faces. Anna sat for a bit, giving Kristoff a big headstart, then got her own coat and set off down the hiking trail to Oaken's. A fresh meal and hot chocolate would make everything better.

"Hoohoo! Just Anna!" The bear of a man swept her up into a jolly hug. "Good to see the blizzard didn't turn you into an icicle! Come in, come in! Kurt just finished making some hot chocolate for the kids, I'm sure there's still some left!"

Anna let herself be dragged back to the cozy dining room, and in a moment found a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of her. She ordered some food too, then sat and enjoyed the beverage while she waited for it to cook. She took the opportunity to check her phone and winced. 137 missed texts from Hans S. She tried calling him, but it went right to voicemail.

"I'm a horrible girlfriend." She confessed to Oaken when he checked on her a minute later, holding out the phone so he could see how many messages she'd missed.

"You're just busy. I'm sure he understands." Oaken reassured her.

"He's going to be so mad at me."

"Nope, I know for a fact he still likes you." The big man smiled at her.

"You can't have read all these that quickly." Anna snatched her phone back. "How do you know?"

"Because we had a guest arrive last night!" Oaken stepped to one side.

"Hi Anna!" Hans called as he walked over and kissed her cheek. "Surprise!"

* * *

_Next Chapter: Hans visits Anna at the site. Meanwhile, in the past, Princess Anna gets closer to Elsa._

* * *

_A/N: As if Anna and Elsa didn't have enough to deal with... I know, I'm mean, but Hans has his own role to play in this story. And speaking of Elsa, she didn't get much screentime in this one, but she's going to have more in the next. I needed Anna (Annas?) to deal with a few things, and anyway, Elsa's mostly just been hiding and trying to deal._

_A/N 2: The next few days are going to be a bit busy for me, so I have no estimate on when the next chapter will be done, sorry!_


	7. Chapter 7 - All Hans on Deck

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 7 - All Hans on Deck

* * *

Anna stared in shock as her boyfriend sat down next to her. A million questions ran through her mind. Okay, maybe not a million, but quite a few, even if most of them were some variation on 'how did he get here?' She was aware that he obviously expected something a bit more enthusiastic, so she flashed him a smile. "Ohmygod, when did you get here?"

"My plane landed in Oslo three days ago, but the blizzard kept me from arriving until last night." He smiled at her and reached out to take her hand. "It's so good to see you, I've missed you."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" She demanded.

"I did." He nodded towards her phone on the table. "I left a message. Several in fact."

She blushed. "Sorry. We get no signal up at the site, and with the blizzard..."

He squeezed her hand. "It's fine, Anna. I understand."

"You still didn't tell me, what are you doing here?" A small frown crossed his face when she asked him again. _Duh, you should tell him you're happy to see him. Be a better girlfriend, Frostad!_ "I mean, it's so good that you're here, but how...?"

"Professor DeVille gave us all some time off. She's at a dog show or something." Hans shrugged. "I didn't ask too many questions, gift horses and mouths and all that. So I booked the first redeye I could, and, well, here I am!"

"Awesome!" She agreed.

"Anyway, now that I'm here, I want to know everything. Tell me all about it!"

"Well, the castle is amazing! I could probably spend a month there showing you around and we still wouldn't cover everything..."

They continued talking late into the night...

* * *

_\- The next morning - _

Elsa woke up to knocking. She stretched and stood up, pulling on a robe before stumbling her way to the door. Whoever was waking her up this early better have a really good reason. For the first time in over a week, she'd finally managed to get a good night's sleep. No memories of high school, no thoughts about Anna and the drunken kiss. Just simple, restful sleep. And now, someone was thumping on her door.

She opened the door with an angry "What is it?"

A brown-haired boy with long sideburns stared at her. For just a moment, she thought she saw a look of pure hate flash across his face, but when Elsa blinked, he was smiling at her. She sighed. She must still be more tired than she'd thought if she was projecting her emotions onto other people. She forced a smile of her own and spoke again to the boy, this time politely. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry, I must have the wrong room. I'm Hans." He waited expectantly, but the name meant nothing to Elsa. "Anna's boyfriend." He clarified. "I'm here to see her."

Right! Anna had mentioned him a couple times. She cursed herself for forgetting. Stupid stupid stupid! Now she just looked rude in front of Anna's boyfriend. Great. "Her room's the one next door." Elsa pointed to the right. "She should be in. She usually wakes up later than I do."

"Thank you," He gave her a friendly wave and walked over to the correct door and knocked.

Elsa slammed her door shut with more force than was strictly necessary. She had no desire to listen to him greet Anna. Storming over to her sink, she washed her face, trying to wake herself up the rest of the way.

_So... Her boyfriend..._

_I hate him already._

_Me too._

_..._

_He's not staying with her, that's a good thing, right?_

_Maybe she's just old-fashioned, saving herself for marriage?_

_I'm trying to be positive here, stop raining on my parade._

_Sorry._

_..._

_Bleh, this is frustrating._

_Oh yeah._

_What are we going to do?_

_Well, we can't be all jealous and bitchy, that will just piss Anna off._

_Agreed._

_I guess we need to just suck it up and be polite as possible while he's here._

_I don't want to._

_Me either, but we have to. We can't risk driving Anna away._

_Hmm..._

_What?_

_Speaking of driving, we could ask Kris to give Hans a tour of the town. In Betsi._

_You're evil._

_Yes._

_I _like_ it._

_Thought you might._

_..._

_Maybe she'll break up with him. I mean, she never talks about him, and she doesn't even spend any time trying to text him or anything._

_..._

_Well?_

_Sorry, I got nothing. It'd be nice, but..._

_Yeah..._

_..._

_This SUCKS!_

_Very much._

_We can't just sit back and do nothing._

_It's none of our business._

_We sat back and waited with Belle, remember how _that_ turned out?_

_I thought we agreed we were done thinking about that?_

_If we don't learn from it, we'll never get past it._

_It still hurts._

_I know. Look, we sat back and just went along with what she wanted, every single time. We tried to hide how much it tore us up inside to watch her bouce back and forth between us and Adam. We just let it happen. Every time, she broke us just a little more. So this time, what about what WE want?_

_I thought you were all about 'Conceal, Don't Feel'?_

_Do you want to just let him have her then? I mean, did you see those sideburns?_

_I hate his sideburns!_

_I know, right? Like two rats stapled to his face._

Elsa glanced from the mirror to her window and grimaced when she saw that the snow had resumed falling outside. Today just kept getting worse and worse. If they got snowed in again, she wouldn't even be able to distract herself with her work. The few books she'd brought with her wouldn't be enough to keep her occupied all day.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago - _

"Princess Elsa," Prince Hans greeted her. "I don't suppose you know where Princess Anna is?"

"I'm sorry, my prince. I haven't seen her all day." Elsa lied smoothly. From her hiding place behind the tapestry Anna and Rapunzel smothered giggles, not wanting to give their presence away.

"If you see her, please tell her I'd like her to join me for dinner if she's free." He bowed. "By your leave, highness."

Elsa curtsied then, when his back was turned, she stuck out her tongue at him. He finally left, and Anna and Rapunzel joined their friend back in the room. "Anna, his supreme annoyance wanted me to ask you something."

"Hmm, let me think about it." Anna pretended to ponder the matter. "Nope, sorry, I can't have dinner with him tonight, I'm planning on having my friends surprise me with something fun to do."

"By definition, you can't plan to be surprised, Anna." Elsa smirked at her.

"Shut up." Anna grinned back at her friend. "Hey Elsa... I don't suppose you could, I don't know, freeze Hans into his room?" When the blonde winced, Anna immediately regretted her question. "Sorry, I didn't mean... I just... Sorry, Elsa."

"It's okay." The platinum blonde smiled sadly.

Anna exchanged a glance with Rapunzel, who shrugged. "No it's not. I really am sorry, Elsa. I should have thought before I said that." Elsa still looked upset. "You know me, my foot practically lives in my mouth some days." A weak grin. "And Hans always brings out the worst in me. I mean, I really wouldn't mind if one of the North Mountain monsters ate him. Especially those sideburns." Elsa nodded at that, a small giggle escaping her. "If only things were different..."

Elsa took her hand. "I know." As ever, the warm contact sent shivers of excitement running through Anna, leaving her hungry for more. "I guess I could make an exception just this once. I mean, I hate his sideburns too."

Anna smiled at her, linking their fingers together. She leaned against the taller girl, resting her head on Elsa's shoulder. She hadn't been so bold before, but it she decided it was the right moment. Even better, it seemed like Elsa didn't mind. The older girl shifted a little, letting Anna press her body closer. And for all her ice powers, Elsa was deliciously warm. The clothing separating them did nothing to hide that fact.

She glared at Rapunzel when she caught the other girl smirking at her, daring her to say anything. The brunette merely smiled and turned her head, pretending not to notice how close the two girls were sitting.

One recent change had been that Rapunzel now joined them on their picnics, Eugene too when he could sneak away. Their friends had gone from shock and fear at Elsa's powers to having fun with them. Anna thrilled at the idea that her friends accepted Elsa, and, from the way Rapunzel pretended to ignore them like this, it seemed like they might be accepting in other ways too.

Of course, she still needed to figure out exactly what the tall blonde felt towards her first. Anna still wasn't sure how to broach the subject, either. She was pretty sure that Elsa felt something for her, something more than friendship, but how much more?

Right now though, the everything was perfect. She was with her friends, Elsa's hand was in hers, and she was leaning on the beautiful blonde. So, for right now, she would just enjoy the moment.

* * *

_\- Present day, in the evening - _

Anna tried to cover her disappointment. The snow had died down, so she'd been able to show Hans the castle, but he wasn't nearly as interested in it as she'd hoped he'd be. The good mood they'd had the previous night when she first told him all about her work so far was now entirely absent. Instead of a happy boyfriend, Hans looked like someone who'd just received a rather unwelcome gift, but was forced to put on a happy face and pretend he liked it.

He hadn't wanted to meet any of the other students, and when Kristoff walked in on them during her tour of the main hall, Anna could tell that Hans was only being polite for her sake. And he flat out refused to meet Elsa in the library, saying that he'd already met the blonde that morning and she didn't seem interested in talking with him at all.

She'd snuck him in to the break room while the other students were all busy, but even then, all she'd gotten were a few pathetic kisses. Flat, dead, empty kisses. No spark at all.

_Spark..._

Anna was laying on the bench under Joan once again. Hans decided to head back to Oaken's inn, not wanting to risk getting caught at the site if the snow started up once more, so it was just her.

_Spark..._

"Hey Joan," Anna started. "I hope you can help me with this one. My boyfriend dropped by for a visit." She looked up at the painting. "I know, I should be thrilled, right? And okay, I was, for a couple hours last night. But then I went home, and I'm sitting in my room and I realize I didn't even kiss him once."

Anna sighed. "And you know what? I don't think I wanted to, either. I kissed him today and nothing. No life to it, it's just flat, like kissing a friend. There's no spark."

She balled her hand into a fist. "And that's another thing. Spark. Why the heck does it feel like I'm missing something, something really important, every time I hear that word? It's not even a yummy word, like 'chocolate'. Not that I can ask anyone, right? Not without sounding like I'm crazy anyway."

She lowered her arm. "Yeah, I know, someone who talks to paintings can't really complain about people thinking she's crazy, but still. I just wish I had someone to talk to about all this. I could try to get in touch with Mulan and Ariel, but I haven't really talked with them in weeks, just some emails. They might brush me off. And if I want to talk with them, I'd have to go to Oaken's, and Hans is staying there, and I'm not sure if I want to see him right now."

Joan, of course, hadn't responded to any of this, so Anna kept going. "When he left today, I was glad, Joan. Glad! He was more interested in talking about the weather than talking about us. He cared more about a stupid snowstorm! It made me so mad. He flew all the way out here to visit, and now it's like he doesn't care. I'm getting extremely mixed signals here."

"So yeah, I need some advice on this boyfriend situation, Joan." Anna continued. "I should probably give him another chance - anyone can have a bad day, right? Like what Elsa said. But the thing is, it's been weird between us for a while now. And yes, I know, the spark thing. It's just not there. And after today, I don't know if it'll ever be."

"I guess that's the answer. I'll see how the rest of this visit goes." Anna sat up, patting the wall below the painting. "If things still aren't good, well, I'll deal with it then. Thanks for the advice, Joan."

She waited there for a few minutes, eyeing the painting expectantly before finally standing to leave the room. "Awww, no secret treasures for me today."

* * *

_\- The next day -_

'_...As the date of the wedding approaches, Hans has become more insistent that Anna spend time with him, and it is harder and harder for us to help her avoid him. We cannot refuse him outright, either. The other day, Eugene told him that he wouldn't share where Anna had gone. Hans then wore this evil little smile, as if the Devil himself watched from behind his eyes. "I would like to discuss the situation of the trade fleets with the Princess. It would be a shame if they were delayed." That was all he said, but the implications were clear. If Anna kept refusing him, Arendelle would not see the desperately needed food._

_I have taken it upon myself to follow Hans when I can. Perhaps if he is caught in some indiscretion, his grasp upon the kingdom could be lessened. However, to all outward appearances, he behaves as a model prince. When he is not meeting with various members of the court, he reads in the library or practices his swordplay and riding. And if his comments are sometimes barbed, they unfortunately still fall on the side of politeness._

_Still, one good has come from my vigil. Anna has been able to spend more time alone with Elsa. It is truly a pity than circumstances have arranged to stand in their way. I would aid them more if I could, but for now, I must satisfy myself with granting them precious moments of happiness, islands of peace amid a sea of troubles.'_

"Geeze, they should just drop Hans off a cliff." Kristoff muttered from across the table. "Or have Elsa freeze him. He deserves it."

"I know, right!" Anna agreed. She didn't even notice that she'd gone along with his comment about the princess' powers. "I hate how he's like 'oooh, you have to do what I say so I'm going to taunt you with it, but you can't get mad or you'll look like a jerk instead'. If it were me, I'd take that frying pan and hit him with it, and THEN have Elsa freeze him."

"Do you think Past-Anna has asked her out for real yet?" He pointed to the last paragraph on the page. "It sounds like she did, but you'd think Rapunzel would have written that, if that was the case. She's been pretty detailed when it comes to those two so far."

"Oh I hope so." Anna was no longer weirded out by Past-Anna liking another girl. The more they read in the journal, the cuter she found the couple to be. She really admired Past-Anna for making the most of a horrible situation and choosing to try for happiness despite all the obstacles in her way.

"Maybe, but I really wish we could read out it. I mean, if it did happen, when and how? Don't you want to know the details?"

"Ohmygod, yes! I so need details here. Many, many details. And it better be super romantic. They deserve nothing less, right?"

"I know we said we'd take it slow so we wouldn't miss anything, but what do you say to one more page today?" Kristoff asked her.

"Well..." Anna hedged. She'd made plans to meet Hans for dinner that evening in town... But she needed to know! "Okay, but just one more!"

* * *

\- _250 years ago, July 2nd - _

"I'm not sure I'm ready, Elsa."

"You're doing fine, Anna. Trust me, I'd tell you if you were doing it wrong."

"I've never done anything like this before."

"We'll take it nice and slow."

"Oh wow, Elsa, you're incredible!"

"You're not so bad yourself."

"Now how do I turn?" Princess Anna looked down at the ice skates Elsa had conjured for her. "Going straight forward is fine and all, but I'd rather not hit a tree."

Elsa glided along beside her, guiding her with gentle touches to keep her upright. "For that, you need to lean towards me a little... yes, like that. Now move your feet like so... Good!" The blonde spun, skating backwards so she could face Anna. "Are you sure you've never been ice skating before?"

"Daddy wouldn't let me. He says I'm clumsy enough on my own two feet that adding some ice to the mix would just be inviting disaster."

"He's right!" Eugene called from nearby where he was helping his girlfriend before Rapunzel elbowed him quiet. "Owww, what was that for?"

Anna watched her friends argue quietly, catching snippets of their conversation. "...didn't have to hit me like that." "...totally going to ruin the mood..." "...how would I..." "...you mean they're..." Eugene's eyes widened as Rapunzel pulled his head down and fiercely whispered one last comment to him, too quietly for Anna to catch it. He looked over to where Anna and Elsa were skating.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to distract you guys from your instruction. We'll just be over here. Far over here. Out of the way." Anna fought down a blush as she watched the brunette sigh and drag her boyfriend off to one side. She shot Anna a glance and jerked her head in a meaningful way towards Elsa, who hadn't noticed the exchange.

For the past week or so, ever since she'd caught Anna leaning on Elsa 'like that', Rapunzel had pushed the redhead to just "go ahead and tell her already!" Anna would reply that she wanted to know how Elsa felt before she did something that might screw up the friendship. The Rapunzel would tell her that the easiest way to find out would be to talk with her and be honest about her feelings.

"Can you show me how you skate like that?" Anna watched Elsa continue to skate backwards, in awe of the grace of her movements.

"Maybe next time." Elsa smiled gently at her. "We should probably get you comfortable with turning and stopping first. Then we can move on to more advanced techniques."

"Ohkay... Yes, stopping sounds useful." Anna her eyes on Elsa. "I'm assuming that there's a better way than just drifting until I stop."

"There is." Elsa returned to skating forward. "You want to angle your feet and then - No! That's too far!" The blonde reached out, trying to steady Anna, but the redhead had tipped too far already, and crashed into Elsa, sending both girls falling into a heap on the ground.

Anna found herself over Elsa, her face mere inches from the other girl's. Sapphire blue eyes stared wide into hers. Light danced across Elsa's platinum mane, making it seem a halo around the girl's head. She could smell the sweet scent that was uniquely Elsa, a blend of roses and oils and fresh morning frost. Elsa's warm breath played across her lips, and it took all of Anna's self-control not to -

"Are you going to kiss me now, or just stare at me?" Elsa's musical voice chimed softly. The blonde girl's face was flushed, and Anna finally noticed how short her breath was as well. With her request, the last barrier Anna had built crumbled, shattered by the voice she longed for.

She needed no further invitation. She lowered her head, brushing her lips across the waiting blonde's. The touch ignited a fire in Anna, consuming her, drawing her deeper into the kiss. Her arms snaked around Elsa's neck, while the other girl's grabbed her waist, feeling the curve of her hips. The sensations were too much for Anna. She gasped, her mouth opening against Elsa's as feelings she'd never experienced before flooded through her.

Elsa, however, took that opening for an opportunity to explore their embrace further. Anna moaned into the other girl as Elsa's tongue brushed her lips before sliding its way past them and into Anna's mouth. Anna's tongue touched the intruder, dancing with it, causing the blonde to add moans of her own. Anna's arms wrapped tigher around Elsa's neck, pulling herself closer to the other girl.

Elsa's hands slid along Anna's hips, drawing them together even more. Anna could feel her body molding itself to Elsa's. Her breasts pressed against the blonde's, waking a pleasing warmth deep inside Anna. Her core ached, begging for Elsa's touch. She could feel her legs slipping apart, twining themselves with Elsa's slender ones. The welcome friction was sending waves of pleasure rippling through Anna.

The way the blonde moaned into her mouth, she was feeling much the same as Anna was. Elsa's hands tightened on Anna, the pressure merely adding to the redhead's excitement. Her thumb was now tracing Elsa's jawbone and throat, bringing more of the pleasing sounds Anna craved. Combined with the blonde's movements under her body, it was bringing Anna towards a new sensation.

Finally, a shortness of breath guided Anna back to conscious thought. She was kissing Elsa. She was. Kissing. Elsa. It was nothing like she'd expected it to be. It was so much more. Anna had just experienced her first glimpse of a whole world of new sensations. Sensations she could hardly wait to explore with Elsa.

"Why..." Elsa panted, gasping for air while she clutched at Anna. "Why are you stopping?"

"Because if I don't stop now, I won't be able to stop myself later." The redhead replied. She traced Elsa's cheek with her fingers, caressing the smooth, pale skin.

"I don't want to stop." Elsa's hands tugged at her hips, threatening to drag Anna back to the sweet oblivion of the blonde's embrace.

"We have to." Anna pulled herself away from the other girl. It was the hardest thing she'd ever done. Seeing the stricken look on Elsa's face, she whispered to her. "I promise, this is only the beginning. We will continue this later..."

Elsa's hand slid down Anna's arm until she gripped the redhead's hand in her own. The blonde squeezed hard, though rather than feeling pain, Anna used the contact to draw warmth from the other girl, accepting the ache as a small price to pay for even one more moment of touching Elsa.

It was only after both of them regained their feet that they noticed Rapunzel and Eugene across the clearing. The other couple was merely watching them, wide smiles on their faces. Rapunzel winked to the other girls. "I'd say it's about time."

* * *

_\- Present day -_

Elsa slumped in her chair in the library. Another day had passed with no Anna, the redhead choosing to spend the day trying to repair her relationship with her boyfriend. And without Anna, the library was just another musty room full of old books. Elsa completed her work, but it just seemed so empty.

Not that the day had started off that much better. She'd opened the door to be treated to the sight of Hans waiting to take Anna out for breakfast and a day on the town. Then the hot water in the bathroom had failed halfway through her shower. The kitchen was out of the tea she liked. When she'd gone out for lunch, a rain of icy slush caught her, soaking her. The cold hadn't bothered her, but the soggy clothes clung uncomfortably to her until she changed.

She debated risking a trek to town, feeling the need for some relief from the castle for a while. But with the weather so unpredictable of late, she'd have to drive, and she didn't feel up to that at the moment.

"Hey Elsa," Kristoff waved to her from the hall. Then he caught sight of the expression on her face. "Whoah, what's wrong with you?"

"Bad day, Kris." She sighed. "Bad, bad day."

He turned, walking in the room and shutting the door behind himself. He spun the other chair around, straddling it and resting his chin on the chairback. "Care to tell me about it?"

Elsa struggled to find a proper starting point, then shrugged and settled for a muttered "Hans."

"Ah."

"Anna decided to spend the day with him." He raised an eyebrow, and she blushed, continuing. "So I've been doing the work of two people all day."

"That's not why you're so upset. Elsa, I know you, you love working here. You wouldn't mind if you had to do the work of fifty people. You're mad because Anna is with him." Kristoff pointed out.

Elsa sank further in her chair, defeated. "Yes." She confirmed his statement quietly.

"Have you tried talking with her?"

"And say what, Kris?" She shook her head. "It's not my place to say anything. He's her boyfriend. It wouldn't be right."

"Not right? How is being honest with her 'not right'?" He finger quoted the last two words. "Doesn't she deserve to have the choice for herself?"

"She has chosen. She's with him." Elsa tried to ignore his arguments - they were far too close to the debate that had been raging inside herself since Hans had arrived.

"And I'm saying, give yourself the chance to be happy. Show her what she's missing. Stop concealing yourself!"

It had been the wrong thing to say. She could tell Kristoff recognized his mistake, even if he didn't understand what exactly he'd said. _Conceal, don't feel._ With a pained look to her friend, Elsa slowly rose and left the room, pausing in the doorway. "The last time I tried to be happy like that, my parents stopped speaking to me and shipped me away so they wouldn't have to look at me ever again. Then my girlfriend at the time broke my heart into a million pieces. Forgive me if I don't want a repeat of that."

_Conceal, don't feel._

"Elsa, wait, I'm sorry."

"Goodnight, Kristoff." She kept walking, ignoring his apology. The wind howling amidst the snowstorm that had picked up outside muffled the sounds of her lonely footsteps, while her heart was busy rebuilding the barriers that had worn away, striving to build them thicker than ever.

She passed Hans and Anna as the couple lounged in the break room, watching a movie. She pretended not to see them, pretended not to see Anna's hopeful wave, pretended not to see the glare Hans shot her way. It was none of her business after all.

_Conceal, don't feel._

* * *

_\- Three days later - _

Anna hugged Hans, brushing his cheek with a kiss. Kristoff was already waiting in Betsi, having volunteered to give Hans a ride from town to the next city over, where he could catch a bus back to Oslo and the airport. She'd been a bit surprised by the gesture, but refrained from commenting on it. If her friend was finally warming up to her boyfriend, that could only be a good thing, right?

Anna waved as Betsi backfired her way down the road, her emotions a turmoil. Part of her was sad that Hans had to leave just when they'd finally started to fix whatever had made things weird between them. The past few days had been so much better than that first disastrous one. They'd gone on dates, watched movies, hung out. She'd introduced Hans to Professor Weselton, and he hadn't even called him Weaseltown! Not to his face, at least.

On the other hand, Anna still felt like something important was missing. Their conversations had been safe, simple... boring. They'd talked about the things they already knew they had in common. Anna avoided mentioning Elsa or her work in the library. Hans said nothing about her missing his texts. She didn't bring up the fact that he clearly preferred to stay at the Oaken's inn, rather than one of the guest rooms at the site. He didn't say anything about her choosing to stay at the site today instead of riding to town with him and Kristoff. All their conversations had been this way. Neither would bring up anything that mattered.

Anna had also been disappointed by other aspects of the relationship. They kissed each other hello and goodbye, they held hands, hugged. But every time, Anna desperately searched for something, some connection, and couldn't find it. She felt like an actress, kissing him goodnight because the script said that's what she was supposed to do. Even worse, it felt like Hans thought the same.

And so, as soon as Betsi was out of sight, Anna found herself sitting under Joan, reading a journal entry for what had to have been the hundredth time. Ever since she'd read it three days ago, it had haunted her. She smoothed out the copy, her eyes tracing Rapunzel's graceful script.

'_July 2nd,_

_I write this entry, knowing that my words are inadequate, that anything I might record can only convey the barest fraction of what I witnessed today. After weeks of prodding, Anna laid her feelings bare and Elsa reciprocated!_

_The day started as most have, the four of us attending lessons and avoiding Hans as best we could. Then, in what has rapidly become custom for us, we travelled to our clearing on the North Mountain for a picnic and to give Elsa a chance to use her powers. Today, she froze the floor of the clearing and used her powers to fashion skates for us. And so, we skated in the middle of summer._

_I did not see the stumble that sent Anna crashing into Elsa, but that trip, that glorious stagger finally drove them to express the true depth of their feelings for each other. I was too far to hear what Elsa said, but a mere moment later, Anna lowered her head and was kissing Elsa!_

_It started slow, a tentative exploration, but soon enough each girl had the other in her arms. And for a time, nothing else existed for the two of them save each other. If there had been any doubts in my mind, that kiss dispelled them in an instant._

_Anna truly loves Elsa, and Elsa returns that love._

_The words have not been spoken yet, might never be spoken, but they are a mere formality now. Anna's heart belongs to Elsa. Elsa is Anna's. Two souls that belong together have found each other at last.'_

"I really hate this stupid diary, Joan." Anna complained. "Why can't I have something like this? I'm trying with Hans, really trying! And nothing. Zip. Zero. Boring. Empty."

She waved the page at the painting. "But Past-Anna goes on one stupid picnic and winds up getting the uber-kiss from her true love. That's so not fair! I've never been kissed like that, ever!"

Anna turned to one of the windows so she could watch the snow swirl outside, letting it soothe her frustrations. "I just wish I could have what she had. Is it so wrong to want that?"

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, Anna and Elsa work on possible solutions to the Hans problem and find some unexpected allies. Meanwhile, back in the present, Elsa runs into some trouble of her own._

* * *

_A/N: First of all, thanks to everyone reading this! Over a thousand views in a few days, you guys rock!_

_I know I promised more Elsa, and it is coming, but there was some really important Anna stuff that needed taking care of, especially with Hans visiting for a chapter. The next chapter should be more Elsa-focused, save for some stuff in the past._


	8. Chapter 8 - You Save Me

_A/N: For those who've asked why Anna isn't more freaked out about the diary and the names, that will be addressed fairly soon. For now, Anna is curious and also a romantic, and she really wants to see what happened to the past couple (it's what she tells Kristoff when she asks him to keep the secret way back in ch 2!). There is a deeper reason, but I can't go into more detail right now without spoiling the plot. Sorry!_

_A/N 2: No, that reason won't be in this chapter._

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 8 - You Save Me

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, July 5th -_

"Anna, it's so simple!" Rapunzel burst into the solar, causing Elsa to pull away from Anna, to the redhead's regret. Her glare settled on her brunette friend, promising swift doom if a good reason for this interruption wasn't given swiftly. Rapunzel, however, was too excited to notice. "We should have seen this weeks ago!"

"What is it, Punz? We were," Anna looked at Elsa and shared a blush with the other girl. "um, busy."

"Anna, Elsa, I know how we can get rid of that stupid trade agreement. And get rid of Hans with it!" Her friend gushed.

"Okay, you have my full attention." Anna faced the brunette. "Please tell me it involves dropping him off a cliff or something."

"I'm serious, Anna. Here, look." Rapunzel handed her a letter.

Anna skimmed it briefly, then looked up at her friend, confused. "This is my letter that I wanted send to France, discussing a possible increase in our ice trade. So what? We can't do anything about it now, we'll have to wait to winter. We don't have enough to export at the moment."

"Anna," Rapunzel spoke slowly, as if Anna was missing something huge. "The king of France is crazy about art, especially ice sculptures. He pays outrageous sums for what little ice Arendelle can provide." The other girl paused, looking directly at her, begging her to understand. "Anna, he buys _ice!_"

Anna's eyes widened as the implications of that statement hit home, and she was aware of swinging around to look to the blonde sitting against her. Elsa, too, wore a look of wonder. Hope danced across her face as she locked her gaze with Anna. The bright smile she wore made Anna fall in love with her all over again. "He buys ice!" the blonde repeated softly. "Ice!"

"Ice!" Anna cheered along with her. "Ohmygod, Rapunzel, you're a genius!"

"If we can open trade with France, ice sculptures for food, we won't need the Southern Isles!" Rapunzel agreed. "We can save Arendelle!"

Of course, it wouldn't be quite that simple, Anna knew. They'd have to approach the French envoys quickly if there was any hope of setting up the deal in time. They needed to have a solid arrangement in place before cutting ties to the Southern Isles. And, most importantly to Anna, they needed to figure out Elsa's limits, so they didn't push her too hard.

Looking at the eager expression on her girlfriend's face, Anna was determined to make sure of that last point. She couldn't bear to risk Elsa being hurt. She gently stroked the back of the taller girl's hand with her thumb while they discussed the details. And when Rapunzel went over to the desk to write a new letter laying out a much more favorable offer, she shared a loving kiss with Elsa. Rapunzel had to be aware of them, but as the other girl pretended not to notice, Anna took advantage of the relative privacy.

Just when the kiss had started to heat up nicely and Anna's hands began to wander in interesting directions, Rapunzel cleared her throat meaningfully, and both girls pulled apart slightly. "Sorry, Punz." Anna lied to her friend, not sorry at all.

The brunette shook her head, smiling at her friends. She handed over the new letter. "Here, take a look and make sure it says everything we need it to, then sign it."

Anna took longer than usual to read the letter, continually distracted by Elsa's fingers drifting over her arm. '_Stop that!'_ She mouthed to her girlfriend. Elsa merely raised an eyebrow and Anna could clearly understand her look - _'make me'_. Anna flushed and tried to glare at the blonde, who ran her tongue across her lips suggestively. '_Oh, you are so going to pay for that.'_ A smirk. _'Looking forward to it_'.

"If you two are done..." Rapunzel interrupted.

The two girls muttered apologies and Anna signed the letter, passing it back to her friend. With the offer made, it would now be Elsa's turn. They'd have to figure out what she could make with her ice. Ice blocks would be simple enough, but they wanted to have more to offer. Ice sculptures would let them practically name their own price.

Elsa started small, with doll-sized animal sculpts, but quickly moved on to bigger things. The afternoon passed quickly, the girls having fun coming up with new ideas for Elsa to make. Eventually though, the blonde girl needed a break. They were all pleased with their progress.

Rapunzel left them, wanting to go spend time with Eugene. And if that meant Anna and Elsa got some time for themselves as well, Anna wasn't going to complain. From her friend's expression as she shut the door behind herself, she was perfectly aware of what was going through her mind. They waited a few minutes, exchanging glances and giggles, then Anna couldn't take it anymore.

She pushed Elsa down on the couch, hovering over the other girl. She gazed into Elsa's eyes, marvelling at the beautiful blue of her eyes. They held still for a moment, then Elsa's hands pulled Anna's head down and they were kissing and nothing else mattered.

Anna drifted her hands down Elsa's sides to her waist while the other girl ran her fingers through the redhead's hair. The light pressure drove Anna wild, her tongue probing Elsa's mouth, begging for entry. The blonde's lips parted, and Anna's tongue darted inside, rewarding her with a muffled moan.

Elsa shifted her grip to Anna's shoulders, pulling the redhead's body down on her own. Anna felt her breasts pressing down on Elsa's, even through the layers of cloth between them. The blonde's hands roamed, tracing Anna's shoulderblades. Anna thought she would melt when the other girl continued running her hands down Anna's body, reaching the small of her back and sending shivers of pleasure through her.

Anna decided it was time for a little exploration of her own. She kissed her way to Elsa's neck, gently planting kiss after kiss on the pale skin. When she reached Elsa's collarbone, she buried her nose in the girl's skin, drinking in the heady aroma of Elsa. Her lips sealed around the spot. Her teeth teased the blonde's collarbone and for a moment Anna was afraid she hurt her, but Elsa groaned, "_Nnngghh_, harder."

Anna obliged her, revelling in the sounds Elsa was making. She slid her hand down to the blonde's leg, caressing it. She could feel Elsa clutching at her back, her fingers digging into her skin. Her hand found its way to the gap between Elsa's legs, and the blonde gasped, arching her back. Anna kept up her movements, eliciting more moans from the other girl. Elsa tightened her grip, drawing Anna closer to her.

A knock from one of the servant's passages brought them back to their senses. Eugene's voice sounded muffled through the door. "Get over here quick! Hans is on the way, you two need to leave now!"

Adding the interruption as one more reason to hate Hans, Anna sat up and straightened her dress. Elsa busied herself doing the same, her pale skin flushed from a heat that had nothing to do with the warm summer sunlight. They hurried over to the side door and slipped in the servant's passage mere moments before Hans rapped his knuckles on the main door. "_Princess Anna? May I come in?"_

She led Elsa through the maze of tunnels, rapidly putting distance between them and the solar.

* * *

_\- Present day -_

Elsa nodded to Kristoff from where she sat reading on her bed and waved for him to come in when he knocked on the wall next to her open door. The scruffy boy smiled apologetically to her and entered the room, stopping just a few steps inside. "Hey Elsa, Weaseltown sent me to give you this. He's going to be presenting our latest findings at that big seminar next month and wants us to look it over."

"Just put it there, Kris." She gestured to her desk. "I'll check it out later. Is there anything else you need?"

"Elsa..." Her friend started. "Look, I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just... you were so mad, and Anna was depressed, and Hans is such a giant douche... I pushed too hard. I'm really not good about this sort of thing."

Elsa smiled sadly at him. She'd already decided to forgive him earlier in the day - after all, it really wasn't his fault. It had just been bad timing, bad luck and a very bad mood. "It's okay. I guess I wasn't in the best mood either. I overreacted."

He nodded and gave her a smile of his own. "You know, there is one other thing... Weaseltown wanted me to go into town soon and pick up some more batteries and stuff. Apparently we're running low. So, how about we go tonight? I could use a real meal, something to get rid of the taste of putting my foot in my mouth. We could stop by Oaken's, my treat. And if you want to talk, fine, if not, also fine."

Elsa considered a moment. Maybe it was time to start repairing her friendships. "That sounds good to me."

* * *

_\- That evening -_

Oaken's was actually fairly crowded, with a number of people from town taking advantage of the relatively nice weather. Anna stomped the last of the snow on her boots off before entering, not wanting to track any on the floor inside. As she'd trekked the last part of the old hiking trail, she'd watched a steady stream of vehicles pulling in and out of the parking lot. She even spotted one of the vans from the site - apparently some of the other students had the same idea she did.

Oaken greeted her as he always did, with a hug and a cheerful "Hoohoo!" before handing her a steaming mug of hot chocolate. She hung her coat on one of the few free pegs and walked towards the dining room before stopping in the doorway.

Elsa and Kristoff were sitting at a small table along the wall near the fireplace. Empty plates sat in front of them, but they looked like they had no intention of leaving any time soon. Kristoff said something too low for Anna to catch. Elsa laughed, her musical voice carrying to Anna's ears over the bustle and chatter of the dining room.

She stood there, frozen in place.

_Ohmygod, are they on a date? What do I do? Do I go over and say hi? Pretend I didn't see them?_ Anna's feet refused to move. _Come on, Frostad. It's basic manners. You go, say 'Hi, nice to see you guys', make some small talk._ Nope, the feet still weren't cooperating. _Why can't I do this? They're my friends, I should be happy they're out on a date having fun. _They did seem to be happy over there. _Though, I thought Kristoff and I were better friends. Why didn't he tell me he was dating Elsa?_

"Anna?" Kurt's voice cut through her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

She swung her gaze to the tall man. His usual friendly smile was gone, replaced by a look of concern. He waved for her to come over to the counter back in the main room, gesturing to an open stool at the end. Without asking, he set a plate with a sandwich in front of her. Mechanically, Anna started to eat. She was halfway through the sandwich when he spoke up again. "So, why didn't you want to go over there and say 'hello' to your friends?"

Anna choked mid-bite. He must be reading her mind! "Ah, I didn't want to interrupt their date..." She replied lamely.

"They're your friends, I don't think they'd mind." Kurt chuckled. "And besides, they're not dating."

"Oh, I just saw them there, and I assumed..."

"Just friends." He confirmed. "They picked up some supplies for your team and decided to get some hot food while they were here."

"Oh good."

"Good?" Kurt grinned broadly while Anna winced at her slipup.

"Uh yes, supplies are good. Can never have enough supplies!" She hedged.

"I know how much you love chocolate, but knowing that your food will be restocked isn't why you perked up when I said that." He patted her hand. "It's okay to admit you're jealous."

"I'm not- I don't- It's not like that!" Anna sputtered. Kurt just looked at her skeptically. "Ohhhhkayyyy, maybe it's a little like that." She admitted, defeated.

"Really." He replied flatly.

"It's just... they looked so happy, having fun and talking. I wish I could have that." She tried to explain. All the hurt from the disappointing visit with Hans bubbled up. "I guess..." Anna took a breath. "I guess it made me realize something I've been trying to avoid. I have a call to make."

"It'll be okay, Anna." Kurt returned to the kitchen. "You'll be just fine."

Steeling herself, Anna pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Hans? I'm sorry for waking you so early, but we need to talk..."

* * *

Kristoff had been right, Elsa admitted to herself. Getting away from the site, having some real food, talking with her friend, it all helped her feel better than she had been for the past few days. True to his word, Kristoff hadn't asked her any personal questions. Instead, he'd done his best to bring up the good times they'd shared over the past three years on the site. All in all, Elsa had really enjoyed the evening.

They'd just finished their dessert, cake for Kristoff and ice cream for Elsa, but they were in no rush to return to the site. They had nothing they needed to do that evening, so they'd decided to stay for a bit longer. For a moment, Elsa thought back to the last time she'd spent a day like this. _Anna looked so beautiful that day. And seeing her in the sauna..._

The thoughts threatened to ruin her good mood, and Elsa did her best to cram them back down where they couldn't disturb her. The day had been so good, she refused to let herself ruin it with thoughts of...

..._Anna?_

Sure enough, she spotted a familiar splash of red hair at the counter in the other room. Anna was here! Then a small feeling of hurt wormed its way into her mind. _Why didn't she come and say hello? Is she ignoring me?_ Of course, she'd been distant towards Anna for the past few days, barely speaking to her. _I guess I do deserve it._ The redhead pulled out her cell phone, sending a spike of irrational hope through her. _I guess she just needed to make a call._

"Oaken," she said when the jolly man stopped by to check on them. "Has Anna been here long?"

"Anna's here?" Kristoff asked, and Elsa nodded, pointing over his shoulder towards the counter.

"Oh, Kurt said something about 'calling her boyfriend.' I can ask him for more details later, but we've been a bit busy tonight." He chuckled. "Want me to have another chair brought over? I can send her over when she's done."

"No, that's fine." Elsa muttered. Her good mood was gone, ashes. _Of course she's calling her boyfriend. Who else would she be calling? Why did I ever let myself think otherwise? _"We should probably be heading back soon, anyway."

"Elsa?" Kristoff looked over at her. He'd picked up on her change in mood.

"Can we just go, please?" She begged him.

* * *

Kristoff nodded silently to Elsa, going along with her request. Inwardly, he cursed the poor timing. He'd finally gotten Elsa to open up and have fun, but it looked like this was going to drive her back into her shell. Now he just knew she was already shutting down again. Why did Anna have to show up right now, of all times?

Elsa walked with him back to the van, her eyes distant and unfocused. She didn't even object when he offered to drive them back to the site. "Elsa..." He started.

"Just drive, Kris."

He nodded shortly, and started the van. The drive back was quiet, uneventful. He found himself wishing something would happen, a flat tire, anything! Just something to get Elsa to talk with him. So that he could help her.

"Elsa, I'm sorry. I really didn't know she'd be there tonight. I just wanted us to have a good time. I'm tired of seeing you walking around hurt all the time."

"Kris, please, not tonight. Just... not tonight."

"Fine, but only if you promise you won't spend the next week hiding from everyone." Kristoff pressed. "I care about you. We all do. I just want to help."

"Tomorrow, please." Elsa stepped out of the van, heading back towards her room. "I really can't deal with this right now."

Kristoff settled for that. At least she wasn't shutting him out again. And he'd have all tonight to think of a way to help her. He said he wanted to, but he wasn't sure how. He thought about setting her up on a date, but dismissed the idea almost instantly. He knew that right now there was only one person Elsa was interested in, and until she got over Anna, she wouldn't go for any other girls.

They stopped by the room Elsa worked at so she could drop off the papers Weselton wanted her to review. Kristoff wished she'd waited until tomorrow. He could tell from the dark cloud that crossed her face when she passed the area Anna had claimed for her work station. But Elsa didn't say anything, just set her papers down and walked out stiffly.

Kristoff waited until she closed the door to her room, then turned, but not to go back to his room. He made his way through the woods to the troll clearing. "Pabbie? Bulda? I need to talk to you, now."

"What is it, my boy?" Grandpabbie rolled up to him. "Did something happen?"

"Yes, I'm done with this, all this." He sat down on the log. "I'm tired of seeing my friends hurting, tired of not knowing what's going on, tired of wondering if what I'm doing is really the right thing. I'm done."

"Please Kristoff, don't say that. You are helping, what you're doing is-" Bulda said.

"-Important, I know." Kristoff cut her off. "You keep saying that. I'm tired of hearing that. How is you hiding everything from Anna helping her? Make me understand, please. Because I'm really not seeing it."

Pabbie and Bulda rolled together, whispering too low for Kristoff to hear before coming back to him. Pabbie cleared his throat. "Against my better judgement, I suppose we ought to tell you something more than we have. The reason we want you to guide Anna through the diary slowly is we want her to have time to accept it. There is more we need to tell you, and eventually her, but she needs to be ready to hear it."

"Well, I hope that time is soon, because everything is a mess right now." Kristoff grumbled. "Things have been awkward between her and her boyfriend, we've barely hung out beyond a couple hours a day when we examine the journal, and even Elsa's been avoiding her."

"Her boyfriend was here?" Bulda asked, concerned.

"Yes, Hans. Total slimeball." Kristoff waved it off. "Anna's about the only person who does like him. I mean, he even pissed off Elsa, and she's nice to everyone, so yeah. But he's gone now, and good riddance."

Pabbie and Bulda exchanged a look. "Tell us more about this visit. Tell us everything."

* * *

Elsa closed her door, shutting away the outside world and its pain. Kristoff was gone, Anna was still in town, probably talking with her boyfriend, and the other students were either asleep or in the lounge. For a little while, she didn't have to pretend anymore.

She filled a glass of water from the small sink and set it down on her nightstand while she crawled onto her bed. She flopped onto it, laying there on her belly. Another day gone to shit. Why could she not just get through one damn day without thinking about Anna? Just one? Was that too much to ask?

Elsa hated feeling like this. Anna was so perfect, fun and smart and beautiful. But she had a boyfriend, which made her off limits to Elsa. She didn't want to hurt the redhead in any way. So she was forced to stay back and watch. Watch Anna on her little dates with Hans. Watch her relaxing with him in the break room. Watch her at Oaken's, knowing she'd made the hike there just to call him.

She stared absently at the water glass on her table, reaching out to tap it, sending ripples on the surface of the water.

_Tap. _If only things could go back to how they were before the visit. They'd had so much fun. She loved listening to Anna tell her about the books she'd read, what she thought about all those stories. Even when Anna would be reading quietly, Elsa liked simply knowing she was in the room, a gentle, warm presence.

_Tap. _Then there was that day in the sauna. Seeing Anna in just that towel nearly destroyed her. The redhead was so beautiful. She'd watched from the corner of her eye, drinking in every detail she could. The way the sweat dripped across Anna's pale skin. The light dusting of freckles that decorated that oh-so-perfect skin. How incredible her hair looked out of its usual braids, draped down behind her back.

_Tap. _Stupid Hans! Why did he have to show up and ruin everything? Taking Anna away from her for days. Making everything weird between them. Stupid stupid stupid!

_Tap. _The ice floating in the center of the glass bumped against the sides of the glass.

_Ice? _Elsa sat up, staring at the glass, eyes wide in horror. "That's impossible!" She whispered. Experimentally, she extended her finger to tap it again. The ice wasn't an illusion. A small disc of it hung in the middle of the glass. She reached down, poking at the ice directly. It bobbed in the water, but when her finger touched it, a very faint blue shimmer spread out, and the ice chunk grew bigger.

She held up her finger in front of her face, then lowered it to tap the water once more. And once more the ice grew, covering the whole surface now. Hesitantly she picked up the glass and gasped. When her hand wrapped around it, the glass froze solid. She flung the glass away from her, watching as it smacked into the wall and fell to the carpet below. Nothing spilled. All the water in the glass had frozen. Elsa backed away, falling off the bed in her haste to put distance between herself and the glass.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, mid July -_

Princess Anna kept an eye on the envoy from France, anxious to find a time to meet with him privately so they could discuss the ice trade. The man had slipped her a note during the welcoming ceremony earlier in the day, saying he had a message of confirmation from the king for her, and that all it needed was her signature and seal. He asked to meet her during the ball her father was throwing that night, so they might talk privately. They'd meet, she'd sign the new deal, and then she could be free!

She smirked at the thought of what Hans' face was going to look like when she told him. Throughout their engagement, he would slyly taunt her with the tenuous nature of the arrangement, continually reminding her that if she didn't go through with it, Arendelle would starve, since the deal had never been officially ratified by both sides. Well, since there was no official binding agreement, surely he would have no basis to complain when she broke it off.

Only one thing brought down her mood. She watched Rapunzel and Eugene dancing in the middle of the ballroom, and wished she could dance with Elsa out there the same way. Unfortunately, even if she wasn't still engaged to Hans, society in general would never accept her dancing with Elsa like that.

Elsa looked so beautiful, resplendent in a long, form-fitting blue gown that shimmered in the light of the chandelier. She wore her platinum hair up in an intricate bun, different from her usual single braid, but Anna liked the look just as much. Whenever the blonde would find an excuse to talk with Anna or simply be near her, she caught the scent of the perfume the girl had worn the day they first met.

Finally, it was time. Anna made an excuse and ducked out to 'get some air', Elsa and Rapunzel volunteering to go with her while Eugene covered for them. They made their way quietly to the library next door, where the French envoy waited for them. They exchanged quick pleasantries, then the agreement was brought out. Anna reviewed it, Elsa and Rapunzel reading from over her shoulder.

The agreement was much as she'd written initially. Some figures were different, namely the amount of ice blocks per month was a bit higher, but the girls had been expecting that. She took the proffered pen and signed it. Rapunzel and Elsa added their own signatures as witnessess.

The envoy thanked them and, after a further round of pleasantries, bowed his way out to return to the party. Eugene ducked in once the man left, and the four friends looked down at the copy of the agreement sitting in front of them. Each of her friends wore a large smile, and Anna knew her own matched theirs. It was done! She was free!

"Yes!" Anna cheered, the music from the party next door easily covering her outburst.

"We did it!" Rapunzel pulled Eugene to her, kissing him hard before releasing him so she could hug the other two girls. "We really did it!"

Once Rapunzel had released her, Elsa slipped an arm around Anna's waist, guiding her in for a kiss of her own. The platinum blonde stared into her eyes. "You're free!"

"I'm yours." Anna whispered quietly, caught up in Elsa's beautiful blue gaze.

Elsa blushed and took a step back. She turned around for a moment, then faced Anna again, holding out a freshly conjured ice rose to her. "Well then... I have been wanting to ask this all night - Princess Anna, would you honor me with a dance?"

Anna took the rose, easily the prettiest one Elsa had conjured for her to date. She held it for a long moment, then set it on a nearby table and curtsied to Elsa. "Princess Elsa, it would be my pleasure."

Elsa took her hand, putting her other hand on Anna's waist while Anna put her own on Elsa's shoulder. And then they started to dance. It was awkward at first, each trying to let the other lead, but they managed to work it out. Elsa, being the taller of the two, took the lead, pulling Anna in closer to her. Nearby, Rapunzel and Eugene also danced to the music from the ball next door.

Once the song had finished, the two girls parted regretfully. They needed to return to the ballroom soon, before servants were sent out looking for them. Anna let Elsa leave first, following her friend a few minutes later. One thought raced through her mind.

_Free!_

* * *

Prince Hans stepped out from the servant's passage, shutting it behind himself and ignoring the yelp of protest from the servant girl he'd been with. His mind had already moved on from her, far more interested in the conversation he'd overheard. The girl was nothing, just one more servant who'd shared his bed. If she complained later, he would simply replace her. There were always more like her, eager to earn the favor of the southern prince.

"What have you been planning, Anna?" He mused. He'd only caught snippets of the discussion the girl had with the French envoy, but what little he'd heard was more than enough. Well, he never expected her to simply give in without a fight, and France was a logical choice for such trade. He'd been impressed at the thoroughness of the agreement they'd reached. Under different circumstances, he'd have applauded Anna for such a bold move.

However, something else had caught his attention, something far more important than a mere trade deal. He plucked the ice rose from the table where Anna placed it, holding it in front of his face to admire it. A savage grin fought its way onto his face. "Well, well, well... This changes things!"

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, Princess Anna finds her plans not working quite as intended. Meanwhile, in the present, Anna and Elsa have issues of their own to deal with._

* * *

_A/N 3: For those who have asked, I hope this answers the "does modern Elsa have powers too?" question! I know, I'm so mean to the poor girl. But things will get better for her soon!_

_And as ever, thank you all who have read/fav'd/followed this! You are all amazing, thanks so much for all your support!_


	9. Chapter 9 - How Do You Know?

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 9 - How Do You Know?

* * *

The water finally melted about an hour before dawn. Elsa had stayed up the entire night, watching it with horrid fascination, waiting for it to melt. Once it did, she tried touching it again, and the same thing happened as before. Her finger made contact with the water and it froze.

Elsa tried to 'un-freeze' it, but that didn't work. Touching the ice did nothing. She tried switching hands. The ice remained frozen. She stared at it, willing it to melt. Nothing happened. Chanting 'melt, melt, melt' proved equally useless. When the first light of dawn started to peek through her window, Elsa gave in and dumped the frozen glass in the sink so it would melt there and take care of itself.

Elsa stared down at her hands. They looked no different than they had before now. Nothing to show why she'd frozen a glass of water with a touch! Something had to be wrong, though. Something to explain this. There had to be an explanation. Something rational. Something logical. Because otherwise she was just going crazy.

When she rested her hands on the edges of the sink, lines of frost shot out over the porcelain. Elsa recoiled, yanking her hands off, her breathing wild and ragged. "What is happening to me?" She staggered over to the bed, sitting awkwardly. Holding her hands out in front of her, taking extra care not to touch the bed with them, she could only continue to stare at them while she tried to think.

"Conceal, don't feel, conceal, don't feel, conceal, don't feel." Her usual soothing mantra forced its way out of her. She calmed her breathing, though her heart still hammered in her chest. She gingerly reached out, brushing her fingers across one of her pillows. It didn't freeze.

It didn't freeze!

Cheered by that revelation, Elsa tried touching her table again. Rings of frost radiated from her fingertips, just like what happened on the sink. She frowned for a moment, repeated her calming phrase, and returned her fingers to the pillow. It still didn't freeze. She attempted to touch the table one more time, this time while chanting her phrase. Circles of frost still spread from the contact, but much slower than before.

Elsa sat back on the bed, thinking. Maybe cloth could slow this... whatever it was. She grabbed an old shirt from her dirty laundry pile and, wrapping it around her right hand, tried one last time to touch her table. No rings of frost appeared. She pressed harder. Nothing.

Elsa grinned weakly. It might be a permanent solution - she still had no idea what was happening, after all - but it was something. She dug through her drawers until she pulled out an old pair of dress gloves she'd bought a long time ago but never worn. She slipped them on, reaching out and tapping the dresser. It didn't freeze!

At least now she would have time to figure out what was going on without worrying about hurting someone, or someone finding out.

That thought stopped her short. _What if someone finds out?! I'll be a freak! Locked up! Shipped off again! Not again! Please, God, not again!_ Memories of her parents hauling her off to Gay Camp wormed their way back up. Elsa hugged herself, shivering as she recalled all the fear and hate she'd felt back then. _Please, please not again!_

She needed a plan. Step one: Make sure no one found out anything about what was going on. Step two: Figure out what WAS going on. Step three: Put a stop to it. She had no idea how she was going to manage Step one, short of locking herself in her room. Step two seemed equally impossible, making step three even more impossible. Elsa stared at her gloved hands and prayed for a miracle.

* * *

Anna smacked the snooze button on her alarm clock, harder than was strictly necessary. She debated getting up, but decided that after last night, she'd earned a morning of self-pity. Flicking the off the alarm entirely, she tried to go back to sleep, but her emotions roiled inside her, preventing her from resting.

_I can't believe I did that! I broke up with Hans!_

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. It still hurt to think about it. She'd called her boyfriend - _ex-boyfriend now_ \- and told him that she didn't think it was working between them, and it would probably be best if they took a break. From there, her mouth kept going with no input from her brain, babbling useless things like 'it's not you, it's me' and 'I hope we can stay friends.'

Hans hadn't stayed on the phone with her much longer after that. Not that Anna could blame him. She wouldn't want to talk with herself after that either. He'd muttered a hasty goodbye and hung up the phone, leaving Anna sitting alone at the counter. Kurt took one look at her face and brought out another hot chocolate and a slice of fresh pie, patting her shoulder in support.

When she'd gone to look for Elsa and Kristoff, she was disappointed to find they'd already left, probably during her phone call. She regretted that she hadn't joined them earlier. If only she hadn't been so irrationally jealous! She finally made it back to her room late at night, crashing on her bed. She hadn't even changed out of her clothes before crying herself to sleep.

Anna rolled over on the bed, facing up at the ceiling. _I broke up with Hans and ignored my friends. This officially sucks! I mean, what do I say to them? 'Sorry, I didn't talk to you because I was jealous that it looked like you were on a date?'_

She forced herself off the bed and to the bathroom for a quick shower, before her stomach decided she needed to make another stop. She grabbed the first shirt and jeans she could find and practically ran to the break room. Unfortunately for her, she'd slept so long that most of what had been set out for breakfast was gone, picked over by the other hungry students.

She took the last bagel and headed towards the library. Maybe work would take her mind off last night, off Hans. It wasn't until she opened the door that she realized the major flaw in her plans. That flaw was currently sitting behind her desk, already engrossed in a book. Elsa glanced up at her, a ghost of a smile tugging the corners of her mouth. "Good morning, Anna."

"Hi, Elsa." Anna replied, curious. Something was off with Elsa. She sat too rigidly in her chair, and she was wearing a sweater and gloves. Elsa usually relaxed in the library, curling up in her chair to enjoy whatever book she was currently working on. And she never wore a sweater and gloves inside. Added to the nervous glances she kept shooting her way, Anna wondered what was going on with the other girl.

The rest of the morning passed equally bizarrely. Elsa jumped every time Anna would get up to change out books, or even just to stretch. And even weirder, Elsa kept eyeing Anna's water glass like a poisonous snake. The blonde watched it, not taking her gaze off it whenever Anna would take a drink. All in all, it was a surreal few hours.

"Elsa, let's get some lunch. All I had this morning was a bagel." Anna complained when it appeared the other girl was going to work right through the midday meal. After her disappointing breakfast, she needed something more. Like sandwiches. Plural. And chocolate, preferably of the heated liquid variety.

Elsa met her eyes, and whatever objections she might have raised melted away. She gave Anna the first real smile she'd seen from the other girl all day. "Well, I guess we can't have you eating all the books..."

"Make one joke, one time..." Anna winked back at her.

Once again, though, Anna had waited too long to eat. She sighed when she saw two of the other undergrads eating the last of the sandwiches in the break room. Checking the counter, she decided that the last lonely slice of pizza just wouldn't cut it. "Elsa, can we go to town? I need more than _that._" Not to mention, '_that'_ was mushrooms and anchovies. _Yuck!_

Elsa sighed, but agreed that having a real lunch would be worth the walk. The girls grabbed their coats and started on the path to town. They took their time, each enjoying the other's company. Anna was glad that things were getting back to normal between them. Almost normal anyway, Anna thought with a glance at Elsa's gloves, but she didn't want to ruin the mood by asking about something the blonde was doing her best to ignore, no matter how obvious it might be.

Once they made it to town, they had to pause for a debate on where to eat. Anna wanted pizza, but Elsa insisted that if they were here, they should at least choose one of the nicer restaurants. So Anna suggested Oaken's, and the blonde agreed.

The inn was just as crowded today as it had been the previous night. Anna wasn't surprised - the food here was awesome! They hung their coats on the rack near the door and waited for the big man to escort them to the dining room. Somewhat to Anna's distress, the table they got was the same one she'd spotted Elsa sharing with Kristoff last night. It got even more uncomfortable when she realized she was now sitting in the same chair the shaggy boy had occupied.

The food tasted excellent as ever, but the meal was very strange, mostly due to Elsa. The blonde still had those odd gloves on, even though they were sitting right next to the fire. And then there was the water. Oaken brought some over for them while Kurt was fixing their hot chocolate, and Elsa nearly bolted from her chair when he put the glass in front of her. Anna had discretely moved it to one side, to 'make room for the plates', and the blonde shot her a grateful look.

_Oooohhhkayyyyy... I think I need to have a talk with Kristoff when I get back, ask him if he knows what this is all about. Because I'm thinking Elsa's not in the mood to explain._ Anna smirked to herself. That was an understatement - the one time she'd mentioned the gloves, Elsa merely replied "I felt cold today"... while sitting right next to the fireplace. _I mean, I didn't think Elsa ever got cold. Today's the first day I've seen her with a sweater, even. Usually it's jeans and a t-shirt for her._

Anna ordered dessert for them, and further weirdness ensued. Elsa stared down at the ice cream, up at her, and back down again, before taking a nervous gulp and gingerly touching it with her spoon. She gave Anna a wide, fake smile and slowly started to eat the dessert. Anna fought to hide a giggle. Yes, something was off about her friend, but she'd never seen anyone treat ice cream like that.

Elsa stopped them as they got up to leave. "Um, Anna, I don't mind waiting a while if you... you know, need to call... someone."

Anna gave her friend a sad shake of the head. "No... Hans and I are... we're not together anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Elsa awkwardly patted Anna's shoulder. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Well..."

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, late July - _

"Elsa, did you have anything to do with these rumors?" Rapunzel asked her friend. The four of them were back in the solar, Elsa relaxing after a long morning making ice blocks. The blonde was resting her head in Anna's lap, something Anna didn't mind at all. She gently brushed her girlfriend's hair, marvelling at the silky feel of those platinum locks.

"What rumors?" Elsa asked tiredly. She shifted, settling closer to Anna with a satisfied _hmmmm._

"For the past couple of days, everyone in town has been talking about the 'Ice Witch of North Mountain'." Eugene told the group. "The most common story seems to be that she steals your soul and turns you into a block of ice forever."

Anna's fingers tightened, drawing a yelp of pain from Elsa, who glared up at her. She smiled apologetically to her girlfriend and released her grip. Anna looked to Rapunzel and Eugene. "You two said you'd keep an eye out for other people. You haven't seen anyone following us, right?"

"No one." Eugene confirmed. Rapunzel nodded her agreement.

"Then how did this happen?" Anna asked them. "Eugene, would you mind going back to town? Try to find the source of these rumors?"

"I'll try." He stood up. "I could probably use a little help, though."

Anna hid a smirk when Rapunzel shot to her feet, all but tripping over herself as she volunteered to accompany her boyfriend. Anna could feel Elsa shaking with silent laughter too.

The good mood lasted until their friends had left the room. Stroking her cheek, Anna looked down into Elsa's gorgeous eyes. "Are you okay? With people talking about you, I mean?"

The blonde sighed. "I guess it had to happen eventually. We have been making a lot of ice, I'm not surprised rumors are popping up about it." She paused. "It is odd that they went right to 'Ice Witch' though."

"You haven't turned anyone to ice when I've not been looking, right?" Anna teased her.

"No, though Hans has come pretty close." Elsa giggled.

"So why haven't you made him into a statue yet?" Anna asked, not entirely joking.

"We didn't have any pigeons handy." At that, Anna lost it. Between laughs, she bent down to kiss her girlfriend.

"Elsa! That is-! I-! Oh god!" Getting herself under control, Anna tried to be serious. "As much as we'd both probably like that, with these rumors going around, it'd be a bad idea."

"If he keeps hanging around me like he has been recently, I make no promises." Elsa told her.

"Ugh, yeah, what's with that?" Anna grumped. "Before, he always treated you like something in the way. Now, I hear he's invited you to dinenr four times in the past two weeks."

"Five." Elsa shivered. "I really hope the boats from France arrive soon, because I can't wait to tell him he's no longer wanted or needed here. I'm getting tired of turning him down." The blonde closed her eyes. "Speaking of tired... Sorry, Anna, I'm feeling a bit worn out today."

"Shhhh, it's okay." Anna soothed. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. We've been pushing you so hard, I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"You're already doing it." Elsa's drowsy voice murmured as the blonde girl drifted towards sleep.

Anna sat there, her girlfriend's head in her lap, feeling the gentle breathing. Taking care not to disturb her, Anna put a hand on Elsa's waist, simply wanting to hold her while she slept. She sighed happily when Elsa's hand tightened unconsciously on her leg. She traced a finger along Elsa's cheek, smiling down at the girl. "I love you." She whispered.

* * *

\- _Present day - _

"Kris, do you think Elsa is being a bit weird?" Anna asked her friend from her usual spot on the couch.

"Nah, she's right to be worried, I think." He waved the page they'd been reading. "I mean, Hans is following her, and all these rumors keep popping up and they still haven't received the food from France yet. Plus, it sounds like making all that ice really tired her out."

"Yeah, true, I think-" Anna paused - that wasn't what she'd wanted to talk about. "No, I don't mean that Elsa. I was talking about the other Elsa. Our Elsa, not Past-Elsa. Not that Past-Elsa isn't being a bit weird too, but I'm worried about... Future-Elsa? Now-Elsa? Gah, this is confusing!"

"Well, I think she's been a bit lonely recently." Kristoff didn't mention Hans' visit, for which Anna was grateful. "She can be kind of... fragile sometimes."

"Fragile? Elsa?" Anna scoffed. "She didn't flinch when I dumped a whole tray of hot chocolate on her. And she's always so nice and everything! I don't think she's fragile."

"There's different kinds of fragile, Anna." He told her. "Elsa's had some tough times. She's strong, but she can't be strong all the time, you know?"

"Oh..." Anna winced. She knew she'd ignored her friends quite a bit while Hans visited. And there was that thing last night. She still needed to apologize to Elsa... and Kristoff, she realized.

"Kris, I hope you know, I wasn't trying to ignore you guys, it's just... I was trying to make things work with me and Hans and it totally wasn't and then I broke up with him the other day and I saw you and Elsa at Oaken's. And I did ignore you, I dunno, cause I thought you two were out on a date, and I should have at least said hi, but I didn't..."

"Anna, it's fine, I understand." He told her when she stopped her verbal torrent to take a breath. "You had things you needed to deal with." He looked over at her. "Wait... you broke up with Hans?"

"Could you please sound a little less happy about that?" Anna begged.

"Sorry." Kristoff at least looked like he was, which was something. "Look... I really am sorry. I know you liked him, and I shouldn't have said what I did."

"It's okay, I know you mean well."

"If you ever want to talk about it, Anna, you know I'm here for you, right?"

"Yeah..." She mused.

"And I know you weren't ignoring us, you just had a lot to deal with. It's fine. I understand. Elsa will too." Kristoff assured her.

"Kris..." Anna started. She didn't want to think about her own issues right now. Didn't want to think about why breaking up with Hans hadn't hurt more. "Can we just talk about something else? I mean, we got kind of sidetracked from my original question."

"Oh, right."

"So yeah, any idea what's going on with Elsa? Because I think she's a bit beyond just lonely. Lonely people do not look at innocent water glasses like that. And I never pictured Elsa as super into gloves, either. I know you know something, Kris."

"I... You'd have to talk to her, Anna. It's not my place to say." Kristoff met her look. "Really, you should ask her. It's personal, you know?"

"Okay, I think I might, if she keeps being weird." Anna sighed. She'd hoped Kristoff knew the details, but it appeared she'd have to ask Elsa herself. No way that wouldn't turn out awkward.

* * *

Elsa collapsed on her bed, exhausted. She'd made it through the day, somehow. Made it without anyone finding out. She was especially proud when she didn't freeze the water during lunch with Anna. Sure, Anna had sent her some questioning looks, but she was sure she could cover that. As long as she didn't let it happen in front of anyone, she could deal with a few odd glances.

Now all she needed was to do it again tomorrow...

Elsa sighed. Just do it again tomorrow... and the next day... and the day after that... and after that...

_I'm so screwed._

_Yup._

_I barely made it through one day and I'm practically a nervous wreck._

_But we made it._

_Anna kept glancing at the gloves._

_Well, she'd probably stare even harder if we started freezing the furniture, right?_

_Good point. So we're keeping the gloves, then?_

_For now, yes._

_And how are we going to explain it?_

_'I like gloves?'_

_Lame._

_Yeah, well, better than nothing._

_True enough._

_What about the water glass thing?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Well?_

_I got nothing._

_She's going to notice if we keep freaking out every time someone puts a water glass near us._

_That's true. But if we freeze said glass, I think she might notice that even more._

_You know, we did just make it through a whole day without freezing anything, maybe we should try..._

_I was just thinking the same thing._

Elsa filled a glass from her sink and set it on the desk. Taking a deep breath, she peeled her gloves off, placing them nearby. "Conceal, don't feel, conceal, don't feel, conceal, don't feel..." She hadn't consciously started her mantra, but now that she was saying it, she couldn't stop. Her fingers ever so slowly inched towards the glass, brushing against it...

Ripples of blue covered the glass as the water in it froze in an instant.

_Damn it! We did so well today, too!_

_I know!_

_So, the plan is to wear the gloves and avoid glasses of water?_

_Yup._

_We need to do something about this._

_Yes, well, we seem to have misplaced our "How not to freeze everything, For Dummies" book._

_Oh joy, sarcasm again._

_It helps._

_..._

_Speaking of avoidance..._

_Yes?_

_Are we just going to pretend we didn't hear Anna say she's broken up with her boyfriend?_

_Really? You think _now_ is the right time to bring this up?_

_Please, you can't tell me you're not thrilled to hear it?_

_Oh, I am, but now is so not the time for this. I'd sorta like to not have to worry about freezing her, you know?_

_Yes, I definitely prefer Anna un-frozen._

Elsa lay back on the bed, willing herself to go to sleep. She needed sleep. Desperately needed it. The day had worn her out, frayed her nerves to the breaking point. Worse, she knew that tomorrow she would have to repeat her performance. If she didn't rest now, she would burn herself out. It took a while, but she finally felt sleep overtaking her.

Nightmares of Anna frozen in a giant water glass greeted her.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago -_

"No!" Anna refused, glaring at Rapunzel and Eugene. She stood like a barrier in front of the door. "No more for today! We've been pushing her too hard!"

"We're so close, Anna. Just a few more and then we'll have the last shipment for the summer completed. It's almost done." Rapunzel begged.

"I said no." Anna repeated. "You've seen her recently, she's beyond exhausted. She needs to rest, recover. I'm not going to see her hurt over this."

"Anna-" Eugene started.

"No!" Aware that she'd shouted that last, Anna lowered her voice to a normal level. "I'm serious, she needs rest. We can try to finish tomorrow, but I'm not letting anything disturb her today. And besides..." Even though they were alone in the room, Anna still checked to make sure. "You know the rumors about the Ice Witch keep growing. I just have the awful feeling that if we push this too much, someone will find out."

Rapunzel exchanged a look with her boyfriend, a look Anna had seen too much in the past few days. They'd been arguing about the upcoming deadline for the ice trade deal, with Rapunzel wanting to just get it over with, while Anna kept wanting to slow down, so they didn't push Elsa too hard. To be honest, Anna wanted it done too - she was tired of the fighting, of seeing her girlfriend stagger into the room looking half-dead. The brunette shrugged to Eugene, taking his hand and leading him towards the door. "All right Anna, tomorrow then."

Anna watched them leave, then turned towards the bedroom beyond the other door. Throwing it open, her heart sank when she saw how pale and worn out Elsa looked. Her girlfriend could barely sit up in the bed. Elsa's smile was a small, pitiful thing, and it nearly broke Anna's heart to see how weak she looked. She waved for the other girl to stay in bed. Elsa didn't even try to protest, merely sinking back into the bed.

Anna hurried over to the blonde, carefully sitting on the bed next to her. She leaned down, kissing Elsa deeply. She cuddled up against the taller girl, wishing she could do more to help her. It hurt Anna to know that Elsa was using herself up to help her. That she was like this because of Anna. Anna felt awful - Elsa was doing everything for her, giving her everything, and what did she give the other girl?

Nothing.

Anna held Elsa, letting the blonde snuggle up against her. She felt horrible for the whole situation. She was a horrible girlfriend. What did she do for Elsa? Why did the beautiful blonde put up with her? After all, what kind of girlfriend would ask her do push herself this way? Kissing the other girl's forehead, Anna continued to hold her. She might be a terrible girlfriend, but she could at least give Elsa this.

Once Elsa fell asleep, Anna took out the book she'd found in the library the other day. She made sure that she didn't disturb Elsa's sleep while she read. She didn't have much hope for this book, but she needed to do _something!_ So she read yet another book about magic, another book that was more fairy tale than anything. It would be worth it if she could find even a single hint, no matter how small, to help Elsa.

Elsa's breath tickled her skin, a sensation Anna enjoyed. She shifted closer to the sleeping girl, revelling in the heat from her body. Rapunzel would tease her forever if she ever admitted it, but Anna loved reading like this, Elsa cuddled against her. The blonde's hand reached out, resting itself on Anna's hip. Anna looked down at her, but Elsa was still asleep, the movement unconscious.

Anna returned to her reading. She loved Elsa so much! She needed to find some way to help her.

* * *

_\- Present day -_

'..._ Every day, the deadline draws nearer. We are so close to completing the last of the trade deal for France. We only need a little more ice, and it will all be done. But Anna refuses to see sense. Elsa wants this done as much as we all do, but Anna will not let her. She guards her, even from her own wishes._

_I ache to finish this deal, to rid the castle of the foul presence of Hans. The southern Prince has been spending more time asking after Elsa. Why, I am not sure, but I feel a sense of dread when I pass him in the halls. He wears a knowing smirk, more than usual, and I fear that he has uncovered some hint of our plans. An irrational fear, I know, but present nonetheless._

_If only Anna could see her way clear to reason!'_

"Can you believe her, Kris?" Anna asked the shaggy boy. "Elsa is so tired, and they just want to use her."

"Just to be clear, today we are talking about Past-Elsa, right?" He teased her.

"Kristoff!"

"Well, Rapunzel does kinda have a point. The faster they finish, the faster they get rid of Hans. And that means the faster Anna - Past-Anna, that is - gets to be with Past-Elsa."

"But... Anna just wants to help Elsa. She loves her, she's worried about her." Anna's heart reached out to the princess. She wanted the pair to be happy! They deserved some happiness!

"I guess..." Kristoff agreed dubiously.

"Ehhh, enough about this for today. I need to talk about Now-Elsa." Anna faced her friend. "Tell me you've noticed something, right? Something is wrong with her."

"Yes, I think you're right."

"The water thing?" Anna waited for his nod, then continued. "And the gloves, too."

"Yeah, the glove thing is just... wrong. I've known Elsa for years, this is the first time I've seen her wearing gloves when it's not snowing. She's more of a 't-shirt and jeans' girl." Kristoff winced. "Did you talk to her yet?"

"Not really. She was the same today as yesterday - pretending that nothing is different. I tried asking her if she wanted to raise the heat if she was that cold, but she just said she felt fine." Anna shrugged. "I guess I need to ask her what's going on more directly. Or you could."

He shook his head. "No, you were the one who noticed first, you should do it."

"Fine, if she's still wearing the gloves tomorrow, I'll ask her." She glanced over to her friend. "As long as I'm going to be asking things, why don't you tell me something. You've mentioned it before too, but you said you've known her for years. Ah, how exactly do you know her?"

"I'm not her boyfriend, Anna. Never have been." He laughed at the look on her face. "Seriously, we're just friends. When I first moved to New York for college, she helped me out with stuff, getting used to the city, that kind of thing. We sorta stuck together after that. Then, when they started the team here three years ago, we both volunteered and got in. And so, for the past three years we've been here. I know, not exactly the thrilling drama you expected, but sometimes things really are just that simple."

"Well, that's boring." Anna snorted.

"Anything else you want to know?"

"Yeah, what's with the reindeer obsession?"

"It is the main focus of my thesis..." He grinned. "Besides, reindeer are better than people, most of them anyway."

"Most reindeer or most people?"

"Yes." Kristoff winked at her.

* * *

Elsa knocked on the door of Kai and Gerda's house. It was already dark outside, but she could see lights on in the house still. She wished she'd been able to make it here earlier, but Anna wanted to stay late in the library today, and it finally took a reminder that dinner would be gone if they didn't take a break to get her to leave. As soon as the redhead left to go claim her share of the pizza, Elsa bolted from the room, grabbing her coat and jogging down the old hiking trail as quickly as the dim light would safely allow. She felt bad about ditching her friend like this, but she was running out of options. She needed some answers.

"Elsa!" Kai greeted her. The older man smiled at her, waving her inside. "It's good to see you."

"Hello, Kai." She gave him the expected hug. "I'm sorry for dropping by so late."

"Nonsense!" He hung up her coat for her and led her over to the couch by the fire. "Gerda and I have said it before, you're always welcome."

"Still..." Elsa protested.

"No more of that. We've missed you here. It's good that the snow finally let up enough for you to make it out here." Kai bustled off to the kitchen, returning a minute later with Gerda beside him. The older woman hugged Elsa and sat down next to her.

"So, what brings you out here today?" She asked the blonde.

"I've missed you guys too. I love spending time with you." Elsa told the old couple the truth. Then, hating herself for this next part, she continued, trotting out the lie she'd been practicing all afternoon. "And I guess all this snow we've had recently got me thinking about those stories you told me. You know, about the Ice Witch of North Mountain?"

"Ahhhhh..." Kai leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "Yes, the past week has been like something out of the old tales."

Elsa took out her notepad while the older man settled himself, preparing his story. "Let me see... the stories say that the Ice Witch first appeared two hundred, maybe three hundred years ago. There are a few different tales linked to her, but the most common one is how she killed the Crown Princess and froze the kingdom in ice."

Elsa paled at that. In the back of her mind, she knew that of course Kai would bring up that particular story. It was the most famous legend about the Ice Witch, after all. But things like 'killing the princess and freezing everything' were not what she needed to hear right now. Elsa looked down at the gloves she still wore. The goal was to find out how to stop it from ever getting that far.

"Actually, I was curious about something else." Kai didn't seem to mind that she was asking for a different story. "In all these stories, she's just sort of there. Do any of the tales say where she came from? How she got her powers?"

"Not really." Gerda answered her this time. "When it's mentioned, it's usually a pact with evil spirits, or sometimes a curse."

Kai nodded and continued where his wife left off. "The stories don't even agree on if she was human. Sometimes she is, sometimes she isn't. Though most do say that she was from a different land. One story even says that she was chased here by Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, and when he drove her off, he won the hand of Crown Princess Anna."

"Oh." Elsa said quietly. "So there's really nothing on where her powers came from? Beyond things like curses, I mean."

"I'm afraid not, Elsa." Kai sipped his tea.

"Then what about how she was stopped?" She tried a different approach.

"Again, there are a number of stories about that, and most of them say different things." Gerda spoke up. "In some, the prince kills her after an epic duel in her palace of ice. In others, it's Princess Anna who stops her, trading her own life to save her kingdom. Yet others say that one or both of them sought help from other magical sources. My mother's version has Princess Anna begging the trolls for their aid, and going on a quest for them to prove her worth."

"Well, if they stopped her, how did the kingdom get frozen then?"

"The most common reason in the stories has it as the Witch's dying curse. They stop her evil plans, but not before she gets off one final spell." Gerda explained.

'Evil plans' and 'dying curse' did little to help reassure Elsa. She gulped, trying yet again to find anything to help her. "How about why the Witch targetted the kingdom in the first place. Do any of the stories say that?"

"Most of them say because of Crown Princess Anna. The reasons differ, but it's almost always about her. The Witch wanted to steal her life essence to live forever. The Witch was jealous of her beauty. The Witch was scared the princess knew a secret to stop her. She wanted to use her to take over the kingdom. The usual fairy tale kind of thing." Kai told her.

"Wait..." Elsa seized on one of his comments. "The Crown Princess knew how to stop the Witch?"

"In a few of the stories, yes." Gerda confirmed.

Elsa smiled at that. If the Princess knew how to stop it, maybe she wrote it down. Or maybe someone else did. Either way, it gave her something to begin with. Tomorrow, she'd start her search in earnest.

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, the deadline for the trade deal with France is approaching. Meanwhile, the present Elsa tries to find a way to stop her powers while Anna starts asking questions..._


	10. Chapter 10 - Making a Connection

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 10 - Making a Connection

* * *

_\- 250 years ago -_

Two more days. Just two more days. Anna tried hold onto that thought, but watching her girlfriend strain herself to conjure yet another block of ice was making it hard. Anna willed herself not to say anything, not to pick another fight. She simply stood next to Elsa, an arm wrapped around her waist supportively.

Elsa finished the current ice block and went to start on another, but Anna pulled her hands down. "You need a break. We're almost done for today, a few minutes of rest won't make a difference."

"But..."

"Elsa, no." She sat down on the blanket, smoothing out her dress. "You're going to sit with me and relax for a bit, and when I think you're ready, we can go back to it and finish the rest for today."

"When _you_ think I'm ready?" Elsa frowned a little at her, but sat down next to her anyway.

"Yes." Anna reached out, brushing her fingers lightly across Elsa's lips. "If you behave, you just might get a reward when we're done."

"That's blackmail!" The blonde protested with a smile.

"Yep..." Anna gave her a smile of her own. She pulled the other girl's body against herself, sighing happily at the contact. Elsa made a pleased noise as well, snuggling up closer to Anna. She could feel the other girl's breath on her neck, and Anna tilted her head towards her girlfriend's. Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna's waist, hugging her.

"I like this." Elsa murmured and kissed her neck.

"Me too." Anna replied softly.

They sat together like that for a while, then the blonde girl stood up, only slightly unsteadily. Anna bit back a comment, instead deciding to help her girlfriend up. She held onto Elsa's waist, supporting her as the other girl held out her hands, getting ready to call up her magic once more.

Anna brushed her lips along Elsa's neck, not wanting to distract her but unable to resist at the same time. The blonde shifted against her. "Stop that..."

"I can't help myself." She whispered, before planting another kiss on that deliciously pale neck.

"I'm almost done, let me finish and then we can..." Elsa whispered back.

"Can't we do both?" Anna nipped her neck, drawing out a soft moan from the other girl. "I did promise you a reward."

"You do very bad things to my concentration."

"Or maybe very good things..." Anna's hand slid up to cup one of Elsa's breasts through the cloth of her dress. They both froze in place. While there had been small touches and brushes, this was the first time either of them had ever gone so far. Sure, they'd kissed - okay, they'd kissed a lot - but this was taking things to a whole new level.

Anna held her breath. Would Elsa be angry with her? Break things off? Was she pushing things too far, too fast? She hadn't been thinking at all about any of that, it just sort of... happened. She'd wanted to, and she'd been holding Elsa, and the other girl smelled so good, and Anna wanted more than just kisses with her...

Anna felt Elsa's hand cover her own, but not in an attempt to move it away. The other girl pressed it firmly against her, and Anna could feel her heart pounding through the fabric. Anna's own pulse matched the blonde's as she waded further and further into uncharted territory. Her fingers lightly squeezed the warm, soft flesh of Elsa's breast, eliciting a gasp from the blonde. The other girl ground her hips back against Anna's, and she took it as a sign that she was doing it right.

Anna could feel the moisture gathering between her legs as she continued to touch Elsa. She brought another hand up, cupping the other breast. Elsa's eyes shut, a moan escaping her lips. A slight sheen of sweat covered the blonde's face, and Anna could not recall ever seeing her look so beautiful. Her mouth found Elsa's collarbone, her tongue teasing the soft skin. She bit the sweet spot lightly, causing Elsa to quiver against her. The blonde's movements were driving her wild.

Anna's left hand wandered to the top edge of Elsa's dress. Anna gulped, not sure that she was ready for this next step yet unable to stop herself. She slipped one finger under the cloth, then another. Soon, her whole hand was sliding under the top of the fabric. Elsa moaned, and Anna echoed her. The soft skin beneath her fingers felt heavenly. Ever so slowly, her hand inched down... down... down...

Elsa melted against her when her fingers brushed the pert nipple. The blonde's breathing was heavy, ragged, and Anna knew her own must sound similar. It felt... Anna had no words to describe how it felt. All she knew is she wanted more. Needed more. She grasped the nipple, gently squeezing it. Elsa whimpered, reaching back with one hand to grip Anna's thigh.

Anna could not stop. She kept rubbing Elsa's nipple, kissing her neck, biting her collarbone. The beautiful blonde had lost all her focus, her eyelids flickering, her mouth moving in low, meaningless sounds. Elsa had one of Anna's legs between her own and was grinding against it. Anna was trembling now, her body reacting to Elsa's, aching to be even closer to her... to not have anything between them, not even the thin fabric of their clothes. The way Elsa was grinding herself on Anna's leg... Anna bent her knee, pressing her leg up tighter against the gap between Elsa's.

Elsa moaned, the scent of her arousal now heavy in the air. The heat of the blonde's body ignited a fire in Anna, a fire that begged for release. Elsa's nipple pressed against her fingers, and Anna squeezed the soft mound of her breast harder. There had been dreams before this, fantasies, yearnings... but the reality of Elsa, here and now, was more than she could stand. It was greater than those fantasies. She needed to see the ecstasy play across her girlfriend's face.

Elsa kept rubbing herself on Anna's leg, using the pressure there to bring herself closer and closer. Anna bit down again on her collarbone, knowing how much she liked it. Elsa's answering gasp told her to continue. Not that Anna had any intention of stopping. Her hands roamed over Elsa's breast and nipple. She knew that she would not reach her peak this time, but she didn't care - she was determined to bring Elsa there. She wanted to take her past that edge. The blonde was so close...

Elsa shivered, a yelp of pure excitement escaping from her. Her hand clenched Anna's thigh, her fingers digging into her leg. Her nipple stiffened and her body shook. Anna held her as she rode out her pleasure, and she could feel a touch of wetness soaking through Elsa's dress. She continued to rub and kiss the blonde, watching her in wonder as her orgasm consumed her.

When Elsa finally descended, Anna helped her sit on the blanket, though truthfully, her own legs were unsteady as well after... after that just happened. She hadn't really known what she was doing, instead just going with what felt right. And by Elsa's reaction, it had been right. Oh so very right.

"Anna..." Elsa panted, her gaze still fuzzy and unfocused. Her hand shakily reached out, grasping for Anna's, their fingers linking together. "...Anna..."

"I'm here, Elsa." Anna stroked her cheek. Looking at Elsa's flushed face, feeling the trembling of the slender body resting against hers, Anna swore to herself that she would do anything to make Elsa feel like this again. She couldn't wait to do it again.

Elsa cuddled against her, Anna wrapping her arm around her girlfriend possessively. Elsa kissed her neck, sending a shiver through Anna. The blonde turned to her, meeting her eyes. "I love you, Anna."

* * *

_\- Present day -_

Anna waited outside Elsa's room, leaning against the wall while she waited for the blonde to emerge for dinner. Another day of weirdness had passed, and Anna was tired of it. Elsa was going to talk with her if Anna had to camp out in this hallway all night.

Today had been the last straw for Anna. She'd gone to the library to find Elsa piling book after book in a messy stack next to her backpack. The blonde was almost frantic in her search. When Anna asked her about it, she'd muttered an evasive reply about a new direction for her thesis before bolting out the door with the books. She'd all but slammed the door to her room in Anna's face, only replying with a hasty "Sorry!"

When Anna stopped by at noon inquiring about lunch, she'd been met with "Not hungry, go without me." An afternoon invitation for hot chocolate at Oaken's had likewise been refused. Well, Elsa would not be getting away from her now. She'd be joining Anna for dinner if Anna had to pry the damned door off with a crowbar.

The door opened, Elsa walking out still reading a book. She bumped into Anna with a surprised "Oh!" The blonde looked up to meet Anna's gaze. Her eyes widened. She backed up a step, preparing retreat to her room, but Anna got there first, dodging around her and pulling the door shut before the blonde could run. "Anna!"

"Good! You recognize me." Anna refused to let the blonde escape. "Considering how you've been acting recently, I've been wondering about that."

"I haven't been feeling well." Elsa mumbled.

"Well enough to move half the library to your room." She retorted.

"It's for a personal project." The other girl replied defensively.

"And that's why you've been avoiding everyone?" Anna asked her angrily, but continued on, not letting Elsa speak. "You haven't been hiding from us because of a project. I mean, even _Kristoff_ noticed something weird is going on with you. So we're going to talk."

"Anna, now is not really a good time..." Elsa started.

"Too bad." Anna opened the door, but stood in it to one side so that Elsa couldn't shut her out. "Get your coat, we're going to Oaken's."

"Um, okay?" Elsa looked confused. Anna couldn't really blame her - she wasn't sure where that had come from. But now that she'd said it, it felt right. If she hoped to get Elsa talking, she needed the other girl to feel comfortable. Whatever Elsa was hiding, it was clearly bothering her. She needed to talk about it, no matter how much she didn't want to, and Anna wanted to help her.

Stopping by her own room, Anna grabbed her coat too, and they started off on the trail to Oaken's. The walk there was quiet, their usual small talk gone. Anna missed the Elsa from before, the one who'd made up a stupid little story just to make her feel better. She wanted that Elsa back, and hopefully, if she could get her talking, she'd find her again.

"Elsa..." The blonde only gave her a quick glance, but Anna continued. "I know something is bothering you, and I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but I'm worried about you, really worried. Whatever it is, I can help you. I want to help you."

"You don't know what you're saying, Anna."

"You're my friend, Elsa. I care about you, and I'm not just going away. So either talk to me, or until you do, I'll be sitting outside your door. Every. Single. Day." Anna glared at her friend. "So start talking."

Elsa didn't reply to that for a while, and Anna didn't push her. The blonde had her head down in thought. She looked like she was trying to figure out how to tell Anna about whatever was bothering her, not like she was going to shut her out. She would shoot Anna glances from time to time, glances Anna pretended not to see. She wanted to know what was bothering Elsa, but she was afraid if she pushed her right now, she'd be closed out.

"It's... I don't know how to talk about it." Elsa finally told her quietly. She saw Anna's questioning look. "I'm not trying to hide from you."

"I know." Anna gave her what she hoped was a supportive smile.

"I... You're right, Anna. There is something going on." Elsa stopped walking. She hugged herself, sounding more nervous than Anna had ever heard her be.

"Tell me," She put a hand on Elsa's shoulder.

The blonde was shivering. "I'm scared!"

"I'm here for you." Anna pulled her into a hug. "Please, talk to me."

"If I do, you'll think I'm crazy." Tears pooled in the corners of Elsa's eyes.

"I promise, I won't. Whatever it is."

"I... I..." Elsa trembled. Anna hid a sigh - she could practically see the walls going back up again. But to her surprise, the blonde spoke to her again. "Give me some time, please." Blue eyes pleaded to her. "It's complicated, and when I tell you, you're gonna think I'm weird."

"Elsa, you made up a fairy tale about the local dry cleaners, I already think you're weird." Anna smiled.

* * *

_\- Later in the evening - _

"Well, I talked to her, sort of." Anna told Kristoff when they'd reached a break in the journal entry for the day. They still had a bit more to go, but Anna wanted to tell him about the afternoon's events.

"You 'sort of' talked to her?" He asked, skeptical. "What does that mean?"

"It means, I told her that I've noticed how weird she's been acting recently and that avoiding us isn't the right way to handle whatever is bothering her. And then I said if she didn't talk to me, I'd camp outside her door until she did." Anna shrugged at his look. "What? It seemed logical at the time. Anyway, whatever's wrong really has her scared. She didn't say what, but she promised that she'll talk to me when she's ready."

"And you believe her?"

"I do." Anna nodded. "Like I said, whatever is going on with her has her scared. She needs someone to talk with, someone to support her. I'll give her the time she asked for, and when she's ready, I'll be here for her."

"I hope you're right." Kristoff sighed. "But you might want to get your sleeping bag ready, just in case. It took forever for her to open up when I first met her. If this is making her withdraw, you're probably gonna need a lot of patience."

"What did happen to her back then? I know you say to ask her, but at least give me a hint. I feel like I'm going into this blind."

"Like I said, a lot of it is personal, so I really can't say, not without betraying her trust, but, well... Let's just say she doesn't get along with her family."

"Oh?" Anna asked, curious.

"Yeah, as far as I know, they haven't spoken at all in years." He held up a hand, forestalling her next question. "And no, I can't tell you why. That's her choice, if she wants to tell you."

"Fine." She grumbled.

They resumed reading, this particular entry longer than usual. When she got towards the end of it, Anna wished she was in her room. Somewhere to hide her blush. Or at least where she could take a cold shower. She almost felt guilty for reading it, despite everyone in the book being centuries dead by now.

"Um, I think I'll call it an early night." Kristoff mumbled, a bit red in the face himself. "We... ah, covered everything important, probably."

"Yes, that sounds good." Anna seized on his excuse. She hurried back to her room, still clutching the copy of the journal page. Once the door was safely shut behind her, she sat on the bed, spreading the page out in front of her so she could read it again. Rapunzel's more recent entries had described the two princesses getting closer, but this one... Apparently the girl had looked for her friends and caught them in a rather... compromising situation. She took some relief in that their clothes had stayed on, but there was little doubt that they'd been pushing the boundaries of that.

"Wow..." Anna sighed dreamily. _Why can't I have a relationship like that? Someone who gets me that excited just touching them. They're so lucky they found each other. If only..._ She rolled over on her back, staring at the ceiling. It had been a long day, and this journal entry haunted her thoughts. She thought back on Gaston and Hans. Neither of them had elicited even a fraction of what Rapunzel wrote about. She wanted more. She wanted...

Anna yawned, setting the copy aside. She wanted to stay awake and think on things, but it really had been a long day. She closed her eyes and let sleep take her...

* * *

_Anna dug into the sundae. Triple fudge delight... so appropriately named! With chocolate sauce and a cherry. Life didn't get better than this. Mulan and Ariel had their own desserts, and the three of them were relaxing after a long week. They were finally done with the last of their midterms for the semester, and the three of them had decided they'd earned a break._

_Anna leaned back in her chair, pleasantly full. As per usual, she'd finished hers well before her friends. It had been a good day so far, and she knew it would only get better when she was confirmed as a finalist for the undergrad slot at the Arendelle site. She was the head of her class for the archaeology department, and she knew in a couple month's time, she'd be picked for the expedition._

_The three girls chatted for a while, discussing the upcoming party that night. It was a costume party, and all three of them had been looking forward to it for a while. Mulan had her eye on one of the ROTC boys, Shang. She'd decided a rather odd dragon costume, but Anna thought she could pull it off. Ariel was planning on some shell bikini thing. Mulan and Anna quietly agreed that Eric was doomed._

_Anna herself was going for the classic princess look. She'd been a bit busy studying, so she hadn't had as much time to shop as her friends. By the time she'd gotten around to looking for a costume, the shop had been pretty empty. It was the only costume left that didn't show off more skin than she was comfortable with. And she liked how the green of the dress matched her eyes._

_They'd agreed to meet their dates there, so after they got changed, they headed to the party. Ariel spotted Eric and split off, the boy's eyes nearly falling out when he caught sight of her costume. Mulan stifled a laugh, and Anna hid a smile of her own when he practically ran after her. Doomed indeed._

_Shang was there too, but Mulan didn't want to seem too eager, though from the way other girls hung around him, Anna figured her friend better act fast. She nudged Mulan forward, nodding towards Shang. Her friend glared at her before nervously approaching the boy. Anna sighed. At this rate, they'd graduate before Mulan ever made a move. Walking up behind her friend, she gave her another shove, nearly knocking her into Shang._

_Resisting the urge to shout "just kiss him already", Anna turned to find her date. She scanned the room and was about to pull out her phone when she felt a tap on the shoulder. Smiling, she spun to face her date._

_Elsa cupped her chin, her other hand on Anna's waist, pulling her in close. She only had a moment before Elsa's lips were on hers, drawing her into a soft, warm kiss. Anna felt her arms snake around the blonde's neck, pulling herself closer to the other girl's body. The kiss deepened, Elsa's tongue probing Anna's lips..._

* * *

Anna's eyes snapped open. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breathing came in short bursts. Where the hell had _that_ come from? The dream had started out just the way it had really happened. She'd gone to the Halloween party with her friends. But she'd been meeting Hans, and there had been no kiss, certainly not one like that.

"This is all your fault." Anna glared at the diary page lying on her desk.

She checked her alarm clock and winced. Maybe an hour and a half before she'd have to get up anyway, not really enough time to go back to sleep. Plus, even if she did fall asleep again, she wasn't sure she wouldn't pick the dream back up right where it left off. The fact that a part of her was curious to see where it might have gone...

"Yeah, cold shower time." Anna grabbed her robe and kit, squashing down that last thought ruthlessly. She was not curious about another girl, and certainly not about her friend. She did her best to convince herself of that over the course of a long shower. Her best... wasn't quite good enough.

The journal entry received another glare when she got back to her room. Stupid Rapunzel making her wonder about things. Stupid Joan for having the journal hidden behind her portrait frame. And stupid Elsa invading her dreams and making her think about things.

Of course, her day didn't get any easier. She ran into Kristoff and Elsa in the break room for breakfast. Kristoff had a folded piece of paper in front of him, and Anna didn't even need to see it to know it was his copy of the diary. She really hoped he hadn't shown it to the blonde. Elsa still had those gloves on - Anna was dying to ask her why, but she had promised to give the other girl time, after all - and was talking with Kristoff. They both turned to look at her, and Anna fought the urge to run out of the room. Or hide. Hiding would also work.

Elsa gave her a wave and a small smile. Anna did her best not to stare at the other girl's lips. _Just because she kissed me at the party - No, damn it! Stupid dream! That didn't happen!_ She looked up, unaware that Elsa had spoken to her. "What? Sorry, I was a bit distracted."

"Are you okay, Anna?" The blonde asked her, concerned. "You're really pale."

"And you were mumbling something. What 'didn't happen'?" Kristoff added.

"Nothing!" Anna practically shouted, waving her hands. "Nothing happened! Not that it would have. I mean, if it didn't, then it doesn't count. So it doesn't matter." Elsa and Kristoff were both staring at her now, and Anna's face flushed as she tried to think of something to rescue the situation. "Anyway, I'm not wearing my princess costume and it's not Halloween, so it's not like it could happen." _Come on, brain, help me out here!_ "So, right, I'm just going to go. Back to my room. Not to the party." _Okay, Frostad, just making it worse now._ "So, uh, see you later!"

* * *

Elsa watched Anna rush out the door, then turned to Kristoff. "That was... different."

"Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen her skip breakfast. Or any meal, for that matter." The boy agreed absently.

"I meant, what was she talking about? She kept looking at me like I was going to attack her or something." Elsa leaned back in her chair. "Was there something we were supposed to do? She said 'nothing happened' a few times there."

"I really don't know." Kristoff thought about the brief, bizarre conversation. "She also said she wasn't going to a party. Did we miss something there? I don't think it's anyone's birthday this week."

Elsa mentally went over the students at the site. No one had a birthday for at least another three weeks, and there were no major projects close to done. Something was definitely up with Anna. Not that she had any room to talk right now. She looked down at her hands, the gloves mocking her. She was pretty sure that whatever was bothering Anna was nothing nearly as complicated as her... problem.

"I guess I can go talk to her." Elsa walked over to the counter, grabbing a cup of hot chocolate and a couple of Anna's favorite bagels. "Though, if this turns out to be some kind of surprise party, we didn't hear her say anything, right?"

"Right." He nodded.

She left him there and headed back towards the dorm area. Hopefully Anna was still in her room, so they could talk privately. She knocked on the girl's door and got a muffled "One Sec!" Soon enough, the door opened and Anna looked out hesitantly. "Um... Hi, Elsa."

"Hi." Elsa stared at Anna, neither of them speaking. The silence dragged on, going from awkward to uncomfortable to unbearable. The need to do something, anything, itched at Elsa until she thrust the bagels and hot chocolate towards Anna. "Here! You didn't get anything for breakfast."

Anna was still staring at her, but when Elsa spoke, the redhead turned her attention to the offered food. She looked at it like she'd never seen anything like it before. If anything, this was worse than before. Why was Anna not taking the food? She was starting to feel really stupid, standing in the hall like this holding out a cup and two bagels. "Anna?"

"What? Yes? I'm Anna." The redhead blinked and met her gaze at last. "Sorry." She hesitantly reached out and took the food, setting them on the table next to the door. "Thanks, Elsa." Anna paused and stepped back, gesturing for Elsa to come in the room. She shut the door behind the blonde, which only added to the weirdness of the morning for Elsa. "Elsa, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?" She replied cautiously.

"It's not about those." Anna pointed to her gloves. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sooooo curious, but I said I would let you tell me when you're ready, so I won't ask now." The other girl took a breath. "It's, well, it's..." She trailed off, her face red. "Never mind."

"What?" Elsa asked, confused. "You can ask me anything, Anna."

"Um..." The other girl was getting even redder if that was possible. "I can't... Sorry, Elsa." She turned her head away. "Can... can you just go?"

"Okay." Elsa tried not to let the hurt show. "See you later."

She heard the door close behind her and she sighed, her shoulders slumping. Of all the reactions she'd expected to get from Anna, this was not one of them. It seemed like things never really changed. She thought she was a better friend to Anna, one whom the other girl could open up to. But as ever, her best didn't seem to be good enough.

Kristoff was waiting for her back by the breakroom. He looked up at her, expectantly. "How did it go?"

"Just fine, Kris." Elsa replied flatly. "I shouldn't have expected anything different." She picked up her books and walked to library, ignoring her friend's worried expression.

* * *

Anna had followed Elsa, taking care to ensure the other girl didn't spot her. She needed to talk to someone, and it couldn't be Elsa, because that's what she needed to talk about. She waited until the blonde left the room, then ducked in. Kristoff greeted her with a frown. "Okay, what happened? Elsa's walking around like you ran over her pet. What did you say to her?"

"You don't have to tell me." She sank into one of the chairs. "I feel horrible enough already, okay?"

"No, not okay, Anna." Her glared at her. "I care about her. I don't like seeing her hurt."

"I know! I panicked, all right? I didn't know what to do. She shows up being all nice, she even brought me breakfast! And that just makes it worse."

"You don't like her being nice to you?" Kristoff stared at her.

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean, that's not the issue." She looked out the door to make sure no one else was nearby. "If I tell you something, you swear you won't tell anyone else? Especially Elsa?"

"I swear." He promised.

"I had this really weird dream last night. I guess I'm still a bit freaked out by it."

"Oh? A dream? That's why you were so mean to Elsa?" He was still frowning, but not as much as when she'd first walked in.

"Well, she was... sorta in it..." Anna blushed, remembering exactly how the other girl had been in it.

"Anna..."

"It's this stupid diary!" Anna glared at the folded page in front of him. "I was reading it before I fell asleep, and I guess thinking about it made me dream stuff."

"You mean you and she...?" He trailed off, not wanting to embarrass her further.

"God, no!" Anna protested. "Nothing like that. But, well, it was weird, okay? It was like a memory, but it was different than what really happened. It really messed with me, I guess."

"So what did happen?" Kristoff asked.

"I was at a party. Halloween. I was with my friends and we were meeting our dates there. But instead of Hans, it was Elsa. And instead of hugging me, she... kissed me..." Anna whispered the last bit.

"So?" He looked puzzled. "You freaked out over a kiss? That happened in a dream? That's why you were so rude to her?"

"Well..." Anna struggled to explain herself. When he said it like that, of course it sounded bad. "I mean... she's my friend... plus, you know, she's a girl, and..." He was still staring at her. "I know, I messed up."

"Yeah, you did."

"Kris, I know you said to ask her, but I really need to know. What happened to her with her family? I want to help her, I really do, but I'm afraid I'm gonna just mess it up again at this rate."

"I shouldn't..." He hesitated, then sighed. "I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone I did, especially Elsa." He waited for her nod. "I told you before she hasn't talked to them in a long time, right?" Another nod. "It's been almost six years."

Anna gasped. She couldn't imagine going six years without talking to her parents. True, she'd only been able to call them every other week or so while she was here, but still, she tried to keep in contact as best she could. "That's... what did happen to cause that?"

"Her father caught her kissing another girl. He sent her off to some camp to 'cure' her, then dumped her in a boarding school when she got back." Kristoff paused. "They haven't spoken since, from what I know. Her parents just put money in her account once a month, and she stays out of the way."

It made sense to her now. Elsa had trusted her, and she'd just thrown that trust back in her face. She shut out the other girl instead of being her friend. "Oh god, no wonder she was so hurt." She looked over at him. "How can I fix this?"

"An apology would probably be a good place to start."

"Well yes, but beyond that."

"That's up to you, Anna."

"Great..." She grumped. She had no idea how to do that without messing things up again.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, one day before the last of the shipment is due_ -

Prince Hans smiled behind his cup as the bishop. The man had leaped at the chance to host the prince for tea once he'd received the letter Hans sent. And now that he was here, he only needed to drop the right hints. "Thank you, Your Grace, for inviting me today."

"Of course, Highness. I must say, what you wrote in your letter was deeply troubling." The old man nodded to the letter sitting on the table between them.

"Yes, well, I didn't know who else to turn to." Hans replied.

"Accusations like this... you have proof of some sort? Other witnessess?" The bishop spread his hands. "We have heard such rumors before, though they always seemed like stories told by the peasants. I would like to help you, but without something solid, the church cannot interfere."

Hans would have grinned at this point if it wouldn't have ruined his plans. A few weeks of planting rumors had finally paid off. He pulled a pouch off his belt and unwrapped it carefully. The ice rose still hadn't melted, even after weeks of summer. It glinted in the light as the bishop stared at it.

"Princess Elsa made that. I didn't want to believe it at the time, but..." He handed it to the bishop. "It's real. Princess Elsa is the Ice Witch."

The bishop held the rose in front of himself. "How... this shouldn't be possible."

"Your Grace, I had the same reaction." Hans lied. "And it's clear that my fiancee is under her spell. I don't know how many others are, too. We must do something before it's too late."

"Yes, we must." The bishop set the rose on the table with a shudder. "We must find a way to stop the Ice Witch."

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, the trade deal is finished while new troubles are brewing. Meanwhile, in the present, Anna and Elsa catch a break in a way._

* * *

_A/N: So yeah, this one took a couple tries before I could get it where I wanted it to go. I have the next chapter about half done, so hopefully I'll have it up soon. And don't worry, I'm going to have some mercy on modern Anna and Elsa. It's about time they talked =)_


	11. Chapter 11 - Hearts, Minds, and Desserts

_A/N: Smut alert! This story is rated M for a reason. If that's not your thing, you might want to skip the (rather long) mid portion of this chapter._

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 11 - Hearts and Minds and Desserts

* * *

_\- Present day, the following morning _-

Anna knocked on the side of the doorway to the library. Elsa looked up at her, her expression neutral. Her eyes, though, were cold as they fastened on Anna. "Good morning, Anna."

"Elsa..." Anna gulped. _Just say it! Otherwise you'll make a fool of yourself in front of her again._ "I... um, I'm sorry about the other day, Elsa. I shouldn't have kicked you out like that. I didn't mean to, I just wasn't thinking right. I'm really sorry, Elsa. Can you forgive me?"

Elsa stared at her for a minute before a smile found its way onto her face. It was small and tentative, but it was there. "I guess so."

"I was a jerk, and I shouldn't have been so rude to you." Anna walked in and sat down across from the other girl. "I want to make it up to you." Elsa raised an eyebrow at her. "So I was thinking, how about dinner in town, my treat?"

"You can't bribe me with food, Anna." Elsa glared at her, but the smile was still there, so Anna guessed the other girl was trying to meet her halfway.

"That's not it at all. I really do want to make up for what I did." She pressed on. "I was mean to you, and you totally didn't deserve it. You're my friend and I want to do something nice for you."

"Okay. Tonight then?" Elsa still sounded wary, and Anna couldn't really blame her.

"Tonight." She picked up a pile of books and started sorting them while the blonde did the same. The morning passed quicker than she expected, with Elsa actually talking with her as they worked. She even asked Anna about lunch, rather than avoiding her like she halfway expected. It seemed Elsa really was making an effort to get past her slip-up. The afternoon also went well, with both girls laughing together over one of the books that described the misadventures of a particularly clumsy knight who served at the castle.

It was only when they split off to stop by their rooms on the way to dinner that a thought occured to Anna. Something Kristoff said the other day... "_Her father caught her kissing another girl._" What if Elsa thought this was a date? She had to admit, it probably sounded sort of like one. _If it looks like a date and feels like a date, is it one?_ Anna decided she was better off not thinking about that, at least if she didn't want to freak out and hurt Elsa again.

_So what do I wear for a not-a-date?_ Anna didn't have much variety, but she had brought a few nicer things than her usual day-to-day outfits. The trouble was, she wasn't sure which to pick. She set the outfits on her bed, looking between them. That one... Anna wasn't sure why she'd packed that. This one was way too revealing for dinner with a friend. That was too formal. This other one... apparently she'd been colorblind when she'd picked that monstrosity out.

"_Anna?_" Elsa called through the door, snapping her out of her daze. She'd said she was only going to be a minute, and here she'd been trying to decide what to wear for almost twenty. She picked up the closest set of clothes and put them on as quickly as possible before opening the door.

"Hi." She greeted the blonde. Elsa had traded her usual jeans for a long skirt, and her t-shirt for a nice blouse. She'd even put her hair up in a nice looking bun. Anna noted she still had the gloves on, but they complemented the outfit rather nicely. "You look really nice."

"Thank you, so do you." Anna had ended up with her nicest pair of jeans and a sweater that matched, at least close enough, but seeing Elsa made her wish she'd gotten dressed up a bit more. "So where are we going?"

"I'm not sure." _If this was a date, I'd be failing so hard right now. I didn't get dressed up for her and I have no plan beyond 'food plus apology'. _She decided to go with the truth - not like it could be worse at this point. "Sorry, I didn't think this through, I'm not sure what's good in town."

"I know a good place." Elsa told her. She smoothed her skirt. "I'm going to take one of the vans, though. I don't feel like risking the trail in the dark in this on the way back."

"As long as it's not Betsi, I don't mind at all." She followed Elsa as the older girl grabbed a set of keys from the rack. The drive took a while, as the snow on the road hadn't fully melted yet. Anna privately wondered if it ever did. Still, it didn't seem to bother Elsa that much, and soon enough they were in town.

The recent adverse weather kept traffic down to a minimum, so Elsa had no trouble finding a spot in front of a small restaurant. Anna looked at the small bistro, deciding that she liked it already. The small French-style restaurant had plenty of candles and a fire in the fireplace, giving it a cheery air that reminded her of Oaken's. She followed Elsa in, and was happy to find that despite what she'd expected there were a few free tables, so they didn't have to wait.

When they got their menus, Anna gulped. Looking at the prices for some of the items, she realized she really hadn't considered this part. _Next time I go on a not-a-date, I need to figure stuff like this out first!_ She suppressed a wince when Elsa ordered them one of the nicer wines on the list. Still, the whole point of the evening was to fix things between her and the blonde. She glanced across the table to her companion. "Thank you." She spoke quietly.

"Hmmm?" Elsa looked up from her menu, meeting Anna's eyes. "For what?"

"Giving me another chance." Anna blushed slightly as she stared into the beautiful blue orbs.

"It's fine, Anna. I know you didn't mean to do it." Elsa smiled at her. "I guess I can get a little too defensive at times."

"Yeah, but you have a good reason for it." _Oh crap! _She didn't even need to see the frown crossing the blonde's face to know she just said the wrong thing again.

"How do you know that?" The other girl asked her suspiciously. _Damn, damn, damn... Why can't I ever think before I speak around her?_

"It's not what you think!" Anna quickly tried to explain. "Please don't be mad, but you looked so hurt the other day and I didn't want to make things worse, even though I'm totally doing that now, so I asked Kristoff - don't be mad at him, it's my fault! - for advice and made him tell me even though he didn't want to, and he told me some about what happened and I'm so sorry, Elsa."

Elsa was just staring at her, her frown having faded into a confused look as she tried to make sense of the verbal torrent. _At least I didn't throw hot chocolate on her this time._ Anna continued. "I can't imagine how awful it must have been for you and if I'd known, I never would have said what I did the other day. I had a weird day and was sorta confused and when I'm like that I don't really think about what I'm saying..." She was sure the red in her face matched her hair by now. "Like now, so I'm just gonna shut up now."

Elsa waited a moment to make sure she was done - _done making a fool of myself again, probably _\- then set down her menu. "Anna, how about-"

Anna wanted to know what Elsa had been about to say, but their server showed up just then to take their order. Cursing the timing, she hoped she could get the blonde talking again once the server left. Unfortunately, that looked like it might take a while.

Elsa said something in french to the server, a young woman who looked about their age with short black hair, and she laughed. When the woman answered back, Elsa replied with a giggle of her own. Colette, the server, put her hand on Elsa's forearm and whispered something to the blonde while looking at Anna. The blonde shook her head and whispered back. Colette then patted her shoulder, the hand resting there way too long for Anna's comfort. _What is she saying to her? Damn it, why didn't I take french in high school!_

The server, having noticed Anna's glare by now, merely smiled at her. Anna felt like she was going to explode when Colette winked at her and squeezed Elsa's shoulder. The server's smile graduated to a full-on chesire cat grin. "It's so nice to see you again, Elsa." Another squeeze. Anna's cheek twitched. "It's been far too long since you stopped by." The other girl's fingers drifted down Elsa's arm. "You've been missed around here." _I am going to force feed her that notepad! See how smug she looks then!_

"I've been busy, Colette." Elsa blushed a bit. She avoided looking at either Anna or the french girl. "Plus, the weather has been a bit rough, in case you didn't notice."

"Yes, all the cold and the snow." The server purred. "If only you had a better way to keep warm up there in that place..."

_Must. Not. Strangle. Her. No matter how much she deserves it!_ Anna wished the other girl would go away - Antarctica would do, but right now she'd even settle for just the kitchen. Elsa had finally been about to open up to her, and this happened! She just had to butt in on their not-a-date. Colette took their orders and walked back to the kitchen, but not before giving Elsa another wink.

Elsa looked like she wished she was anywhere but here right now, though that didn't spare her from Anna's glare. _Flirting with the waitstaff while we're on a not-a-date!_ Part of her brain tried to point out that it had been the black-haired girl who'd been doing the flirting while Elsa just sat there, but the rest of her wasn't feeling reasonable right now. "So... I take it you've been here before."

"Yes. They have really good food here, and, well..." Elsa pointed over to a section of the restaurant. Anna saw that a small band was setting up. "Every Thursday, they have live jazz."

"Really?" Anna perked up. She was still mad at the other girl for flirting (sort of), but this was pretty cool, she had to admit.

"Yes. It's one of the reasons I like this place."

"One of?" Anna forced down the note of anger in her voice.

"They do have great food here." Elsa's eyes flickered towards the kitchen. Anna suppressed the urge to do something she'd probably regret later.

"Well, you must be a regular if she's so familiar with you."

Elsa's expression fell, and Anna winced. Yes, she was still mad, but she didn't want to make Elsa sad tonight. The blonde sat silently for a minute, and just when Anna was ready to say something, she spoke up again. "When I first got here, I didn't really know anyone besides Kris. I sort of came here a lot, at least until I got comfortable with everyone."

"Ah. Um, Elsa, can I... ask you something?"

"You want to know why, right?" Elsa turned to the fireplace, not looking at Anna. "You said Kris told you some about... well, about me?" The blonde waited for her confirming nod. She took a deep breath, readying herself. "Ask me. I can't promise I'll answer everything, but you can ask what you want."

"Okay." Anna's anger was gone, replaced by curiousity. She thought for a moment, considering what to ask first. "Is it true that you haven't talked to your parents in years? Did they really disown you?"

"Sort of." Elsa's eyes stayed on the fireplace. "I haven't talked to them in five years. I don't draw attention to myself, and they put money in an account for me so they don't have to deal with me directly."

"But why?" Anna needed to know. Why would anyone throw away someone as wonderful as Elsa?

"They don't like that I prefer dating women to men." Anna blinked at the frank admission. Elsa gave her a wry look. "Does that bother you?"

"No!" She'd known, or at least suspected, from the various hints Kristoff had let slip. And really, she didn't mind. "I mean, I never really thought... but, I... um..." She needed to find another question, before she said something that would make this more awkward. "So they just kicked you out?"

"Well, they tried to 'cure' me, first." Elsa grimaced. "When that didn't work, they shipped me off to boarding school. They were thrilled when I decided to go to college on the other side of the country from them."

"Oh." Anna wasn't sure what to say to that. "I'm sorry."

"It's... I've learned to deal with it." The blonde shrugged.

Anna had nothing to say to that either, so she sat there for a while. Elsa didn't seem interested in speaking much more right now, and Anna decided to leave her be for a while. It was almost a relief when Colette arrived with their meal. Almost. She did her best to ignore how the server went out of her way to brush Elsa's arm where Anna could see it.

The music started after that, and it lightened the mood for a time. Elsa hummed along with the songs, which Anna found adorable. The band wasn't the best she'd ever heard, but they were enthusiastic and the music filled the room nicely, so she could see why Elsa liked to come here. She smiled, letting the mood and music carry her along. She was enjoying herself so much that she didn't notice Colette stopping by the table to ask them about dessert until it was too late.

"So, Elsa, are you interested in..." Her dark eyes flashed at Anna, that aggravating smug grin firm on her face. Her voice was low and breathy, full of implication. "... something sweet?"

_Oh, that is IT!_ Something inside Anna snapped. She stood up, glaring at the server. Grabbing Elsa's wrist, she dragged the confused looking blonde towards the small open space near the band. "Anna, what-?"

"Dance with me." Okay, so this was quickly drifting from not-a-date to date territory, but if she didn't do something, she was going to strangle that bitch. She started to move with the beat, and Elsa joined her. She tried to keep it to a just-friends level, but a glimpse of Colette leaning against the wall, her dark eyes measuring the distance between the blonde and the redhead, had Anna reacting before she could think. Her hand shot out, finding Elsa's hip, pulling the other girl in closer.

* * *

Elsa felt Anna's warm hand on her hip, drawing their bodies together. The soft contact threatened to rob her of her senses. She leaned in, her senses working overtime. She could smell the slight, sweet scent that was Anna, feel the heat from her. Her eyes roamed over the other girl whenever she wasn't looking, drinking in every detail. She knew it was wrong, that Anna was her friend, and probably not interested in her that way, but dancing with her like this, she could pretend for a brief while that things were different.

She looked past Anna's shoulder, meeting Colette's eyes. _You are going to pay for this!_ She knew her friend had encouraged this somehow. She'd told her that no, Anna was not her girlfriend or even her date, but that hadn't stopped her from setting her up like this. The french girl had probably teamed up with Kristoff. She wouldn't put it past the two of them to meddle with her like this. Colette probably enjoyed watching her suffer like this. No doubt she'd be back in the kitchen in a few minutes, telling her boyfriend Alfredo all about what she'd pulled off.

She was having trouble plotting her revenge though. Anna's hips bumped hers, driving out most coherent thought. Her hands itched to reach out and touch... feel... explore... Elsa jammed on her mental brakes before she did something to ruin things between them and, with all her willpower, took a step back from Anna. "I, uh, I think I've had enough dancing for tonight."

Anna looked disappointed for a moment, but nodded and returned with her to the table. She ordered dessert for them, choosing the chocolate fudge cake, something she was sure Anna would like. And aside from a glare at Colette, the redhead approved of her choice. Anna was practically drooling as the slice of cake was set in front of her. The dessert lasted only a very brief time before the other girl's plate was empty.

When the check arrived, Elsa snatched it before Anna even had a chance to peek at it. She pulled out one of her credit cards and passed it over. Anna pouted at her. "Elsa, this was supposed to be my treat!"

"I don't mind." Elsa smiled at her. She looked cute when she pouted like that. _No! Bad thought alert! She's your friend!_

"Still, I said I was going to cover it." The redhead insisted.

"Too late." Elsa leaned back - it was fun to fluster Anna like this. Besides, she needed something to distract her from thinking about dancing with Anna. An idea popped up in her mind. "So, what else have you not planned to do tonight?"

"I'm not sure, what is there to do around here?"

"Well, there is something I haven't done in a while..." The more she thought about it, the more she realized this could work. And when it did, she was going to be able to have the perfect revenge on Kristoff for spilling her secrets. Smiling widely, she led Anna to the van.

* * *

\- _250 years ago -_

"Done at last!" Rapunzel shouted happily from the riverbank. The last chunk of ice was floating there now, on its way downstream to where the royal stewards would collect it and place it on the waiting ship. They finally were done with the trade contract! And better, word had arrived from a local fisherman. The first of the French cargo ships had been spotted. The large galleon should be arriving some time tonight, tides permitting.

"Done!" Elsa's cheer was much quieter. The blonde girl sank down on the blanket she'd been standing on. She smiled at Anna, but she looked exhausted.

Rapunzel and Eugene were kissing on the other side of the clearing, thrilled that the trade deal was finished. Arendelle would survive now, and they could get rid of Hans. Anna sat down beside Elsa, kissing her girlfriend deeply.

Rapunzel cleared her throat loudly and Anna looked over to her. Eugene was giving her pointed looks and tugging at her wrist. The brunette blushed, but continued facing Anna. "We're, um, going to check on the ice down the river a bit. Make sure everything is going according to plan."

"I don't know, Punz, are you sure you don't want to have lunch with us?" Anna teased her friends, knowing why they wanted to sneak off alone, but she wanted to give them a hard time before they left.

"Oh no, I'm - _Eugene, stop that!_ \- uh, we just want to make sure everything is fine." Anna hid a laugh as Eugene kissed Rapunzel's neck before pulling her wrist again.

"Well, be sure to check everything out _thoroughly_." Elsa smothered a laugh at Rapunzel's deep blush. Anna grinned as she watched her friends hurry off with a blanket, intent on finding some privacy.

"You do know they're not checking on the ice, right?" Elsa hugged her.

"Of course." Anna smiled at the blonde, tracing a finger across the other girl's cheek. "And I might have selfish motives for letting them go."

"Oh?" Elsa batted her eyes at the redhead innocently. "What might those be?"

"Well... you realize that in their haste to get some privacy, they left us alone here." Anna's hand slid down Elsa's shoulder blade, drawing a shiver of excitement from the blonde.

"Princess Anna!" Elsa gasped in mock horror. "You wouldn't be thinking of taking advantage of me, would you?"

"And if I am?" Her other arm found Elsa's waist, and Anna edged closer to her.

"I might be inclined to let you." The blonde's arms wrapped themselves around Anna's neck, and she found herself being pulled into a deep kiss. Elsa's tongue probed at her lips, begging for entry. Anna relaxed her lips, parting them for the other girl, and the delicious taste of Elsa filled her mouth.

Anna's body molded itself against Elsa's, and she could feel the soft swell of the blonde's breasts press into her own. Heat was building in Anna, and from the flush of the other girl's cheeks Elsa was feeling the same. Her hips pressed against the blonde's below her, and her hands were inching their way down Elsa's back.

Anna froze when her fingers reached the top laces of Elsa's dress. The other girl arched her back to give her hands some room to work, the invitation clear even without words. _Elsa wants me to...! What do I do?_ Yes, she'd touched Elsa a few days ago, far more intimately than she'd ever expected to, but this promised to go far beyond that. She wanted this as much as Elsa, but she also wanted it to be right for both of them.

Elsa whimpered underneath her, her hands tugging on Anna's hips, urging her to keep going. And Anna wanted to, very much. She met Elsa's gaze, and the pure, burning desire she saw in the beautiful blue orbs pushed her into action.

Trembling, she pulled on the laces of the blonde's dress. Once she started, the urge to reveal what the dress was hiding consumed her. The laces fell away under her fingers and the cloth relaxed, Elsa rewarding her with a pleased sigh. Anna tugged on the top of the dress, slowly lowering it.

Freckles much lighter than Anna's own decorated the top of Elsa's breasts. Anna bent down, delivering a kiss to the pale skin. She continued to slide the dress down, and soon the dark pink tips of Elsa's nipples came into view. She stared, mesmerized by the sight. After touching them the other day, she'd tried imagining what they must look like, but the reality before her took her breath away. Elsa was panting, the rise and fall of her chest doing devastating yet interesting things to Anna's self control.

Anna kissed her way towards one of Elsa's nipples, her hand seeking out the other. Her lips enveloped the small bud. Anna's moan matched Elsa's. Since she'd felt it the other day, she'd fantasized about what it would be like to kiss Elsa here, taste her. And once again, what she'd pictured was nowhere close to sheer pleasure of the moment. Anna burned with need, the need to touch Elsa more, to taste her, hold her, feel her.

The need for skin on skin, with nothing between them.

Anna hesitated on the edge, knowing this was the last chance they had to stop. Her body raged against the delay, urging her to resume her explorations, but she resisted. She looked into Elsa's eyes, drawing the other girl to meet her at that precipice before the final plunge. She had to do this, for Elsa's sake, and her own. "Elsa, are you sure?"

"Yes." The soft reply sent Anna's heart soaring. "I want you, Anna."

Anna guided Elsa's hands up off her hips towards the laces of her own dress. The blonde's hands roamed along Anna's back until they reached their destination. Anna waited, quivering in anticipation. Elsa smiled up at her and Anna nodded, silently asking her to continue. The other girl tugged at the laces, undoing the knot. Anna felt Elsa pulling at her dress, lowering it.

"I want you so much." Elsa's voice was huskier than usual, heavy with excitement that matched the desire in her eyes. Her hands slid around to the front of Anna's body, finding her breasts. Anna gasped at the feel of Elsa's fingers, a welcome moisture gathering between her legs. Elsa's touch was like a fire, one that Anna needed to consume her. She leaned down, mashing her lips against the blonde's in a rough kiss. Elsa returned it with passion while her hands played over Anna's breasts.

Anna would have been happy to stay like that for a while, but Elsa wanted more. The blonde's hands slid up to Anna's shoulders, pushing lightly while she sat up too. It took a moment, but soon they were on their knees facing each other. Anna took the opportunity to study the other girl, and she could feel Elsa's eyes on her, doing the same. Anna traced every curve and bit of exposed flesh, drinking it in. It was only when she felt Elsa's hands pulling her dress down further that she realised the blonde's other reason for sitting them up like this. Elsa wanted to see more of her.

Anna gulped, but let the other girl continue her motions. Soon enough the last lace was parted and the dress slid past her hips to pool on the ground, leaving her just with her undergarments. Elsa's eyes were drawn there, and Anna knew the other girl could hardly have missed the damp area in the middle. "Oh, Anna, you..." Elsa hooked her fingers in the top of them, looking up to Anna. "Can I...?"

"Yes." Anna breathed out the reply. She wanted this. She wanted this so much. Elsa's hands travelled past Anna's hips and down her legs, removing the last barrier covering her. Now it was Elsa's turn to freeze, her gaze roaming every inch of Anna. She shivered under that stare, wanting more, wanting Elsa to not only look, but to _touch_...

The blonde reached out, one hand brushing Anna's stomach, as if Elsa couldn't decide where she wanted to start. Anna gasped at the feathery touch, and Elsa took it as a sign to go further. Her fingers traced their way down lower... lower... until they slid past the patch of red hair to the gap between her legs. The slender fingers found their way between Anna's folds, and she moaned when Elsa's finger brushed against her clit.

Anna's legs felt weak as Elsa continued to touch her. If she didn't do something, she was going to fall if Elsa kept going. She glanced to the nearby blanket. Pulling Elsa in for a kiss, she slowly backed towards it while keeping Elsa's hands on her. She sank down, laying on her back while Elsa hovered over her.

The blonde gently pushed her legs apart with one hand, gasping as she beheld Anna's folds. Anna lifted her head and one look at Elsa's face banished any remaining nervousness she might have had. The other girl wore a look of pure desire, her eyes fastened on Anna's core. Those long fingers resumed their explorations, sliding up and down her slit, bringing forth more moans whenever they brushed her clit.

"Can... I want to taste you." Elsa's voice whispered reverently.

_Oh. My. God. YES!_ Anna's mind screamed. She tried to relay that reply to her vocal cords, but the sensations from elsewhere in her body were overwhelming, so she had to settle for a vigorous nod and an affirming sounding moan.

Elsa knelt down between her legs, her head seeking Anna's slit. She braced herself, but it didn't help. The first touch of Elsa's tongue crushed the last bit of rational thought left to her, drowning her in a sea of pleasure. That wonderful tongue travelled from her clit down to her entrance, then back up. Elsa repeated this pattern until Anna was certain she would melt.

Elsa seemed to sense how close Anna was, because her lips fastened over her clit while her tongue played across it. That finished Anna. The most powerful orgasm of her life crashed over her, screams of passion tearing their way clear of her throat. She had no idea how long it lasted, but when it was over, she had been reduced to a quivering, twitching mass.

Elsa wasn't done with her, however. The blonde kissed her way up Anna's naked body, making a stop to lick her nipples before resuming her trail to Anna's mouth. When their lips met, it took her a brief moment to realize what was different. She could taste... _oh... Oh!_ The knowledge that Elsa really had tasted her in the most intimate way possible sent a shiver of pleasure coursing through her. She hadn't thought she could recover so quickly, but her body informed her otherwise. From the pulsing in her core, she was definitely ready for whatever Elsa might choose to offer her next.

The blonde continued to kiss her while her right hand slid down towards Anna's slit. Those long, wonderful fingers slipped between her folds, and Anna moaned into the other girl's mouth. Elsa's fingers brushed her clit before continuing down. Anna felt them tease her entrance. Elsa was going to...

She bucked up from the blanket as Elsa entered her, one slender finger sliding inside. Her walls squeezed the intruder, gripping it in a way that sent wave after wave of pleasure tearing through her. Elsa began to wiggle that finger, slipping it in and out until she hit a spot that caused Anna to moan even louder than before. Elsa smiled down at her, love and desire blending to a perfect mix on her face, then added a second finger to join the first.

Anna's walls continued to pulse around those amazing fingers, and she knew she was close again. She tried to withstand it, to make this wonderful sensation last as long as she possibly could. The pressure built and built inside her, until she could hold back no longer. Anna let out a primal scream of pleasure as she came a second time, her core gripping Elsa's fingers. The blonde held her as she rode out her orgasm.

As Elsa withdrew her fingers, awareness crashed into Anna. _I just had sex. With Elsa._ She smiled vacantly at her girlfriend, content to enjoy the sheer perfection of the moment. _I had sex with Elsa!_ Sweat covered her, and her muscles felt weak, willowy.

The blonde smiled back, licking the last of Anna's wetness off her fingers. It was the most erotic thing she'd ever seen. And as tired as her body felt, Anna knew there was no way she could stop there without having her own turn. Rolling them over so she was on top of the blonde, she set about freeing her from the dress still halfway on her. When the annoying garmet was finally out of the way, Anna took in the beauty that was Elsa nude.

She leaned down to kiss the girl, the lingering taste of her pleasure still on her lips. That realization drove her onward. She needed to know Elsa the same way the blonde had known her. Kissing her way down the blonde's body, she stopped to worship the perfection that was Elsa's breasts. Anna's tongue flicked across one firm nipple before drawing it into her mouth. Elsa moaned, her hand clutching the back of Anna's head to keep her in place, not that Anna had any intention of moving right then.

After paying proper tribute to those magnificent breasts, she kissed her way further down Elsa's torso, past the patch of platinum hair to the line between her legs. One hand parted those amazing legs - Anna made a note to thoroughly explore them later - and she gazed at Elsa's core. She ran a finger along the tantalizing slit, then slipped it between the blonde's folds.

Elsa's moans grew louder as Anna easily found her clit. She teased the button a few times before the overwhelming need to taste Elsa forced her mouth down to replace her fingers. Her tongue delicately found its way between the folds to Elsa's clit, brushing it then sliding down the same way Elsa had done to her. Her own moan joined the blonde's as she took in her first taste of Elsa's pleasure.

At that moment, Anna knew she'd been wrong before. This wasn't sex. Nothing so deep, so powerful, so connecting could be called merely sex. They were making love. Her eyes flicked up to find Elsa's beautiful blue orbs staring back at her and somehow she just knew the blonde was thinking the same thing. With a smile that seemed wholly inadequate to convey the true depths of her feelings for Elsa, she slid a finger inside her lover.

The rough, wet warmth of Elsa's core gripped her finger. _She's so tight!_ Elsa's inner muscles squeezed her digit, and Anna knew she had to give the other girl more. Adding a second finger to join the first, she tried to mimic what Elsa had done to her earlier. She must have been successful, because all too soon, Elsa was writhing beneath her, moans and soft gasps pouring forth from her lips.

She knew when Elsa's pleasure reached its peak, because the blonde bucked under her, her core squeezing her fingers while Elsa's fingers dug into Anna's back. Anna watched the orgasm consume her, and she knew she had to be smiling like she'd won the biggest prize ever. She held Elsa until the other girl calmed, then withdrew her fingers. She licked them, earning an appreciative snort from the other girl, then lowered herself down until she was resting next to her lover. She cuddled up against the taller blonde, snuggling into her.

Elsa tugged part of the blanket over them, using the motion to pull Anna closer against her. Anna could feel the gentle rise and fall of the other girl's chest as they let the warm summer sun lull them to sleep.

* * *

_\- Present day -_

"Bowling?" Anna sounded like she'd never heard of it before. "You're taking me bowling?"

"You wanted to do something else before we went back." Elsa smirked. She pushed open the door without looking back to make sure Anna was following her. "Though, I guess we probably should just go back. You'll probably drop the ball like a hot chocolate."

"Oh no! I'll have you know I'm a great bowler!" Anna snorted indignantly. "Well, pretty good anyway. I usually beat most of my church group back home."

"So you're that confident?" Elsa asked her as she got them a lane. Her friends had taught her during her freshmen year, and she always liked it, because it was one of the first times in her life she chose to do something for herself instead of trying to appease her parents. And now, she needed to regain some form of control in her life. Stupid Kristoff, telling Anna things without asking her first. Stupid Colette, always meddling in her love life. And stupid Anna, for making her think things she really shouldn't about a friend, even a really sexy friend.

"Yep."

"Okay, let's make it interesting. Loser owes the winner a favor, any favor." Elsa hid her smile. She'd been very, very good back as an undergrad, and since coming to Norway, she hadn't lost a game yet. She'd use Anna's favor to teach reindeer boy a little lesson about minding his own business...

"You're on!" The redhead stuck out her hand and Elsa shook it. Even with the gloves, she knew she'd be able to take Anna. The girl could trip in an empty room, after all.

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, the two princesses find their return to the castle isn't quite what they expect. Meanwhile, in the present, find out who wins the game._

* * *

_A/N 2: I didn't quite cover as much as I wanted to, but there was important fluff/drama/smut to get to, damn it! Modern Elsa and Anna needed to do a little connecting, and past Elsa and Anna need some happiness. Anyway, I had originally planned on this being about twenty chapters or so, but it might go a bit longer at this rate._

_Thanks to everyone who reads / favs / reviews / burns me in effigy! Your support is wonderful!_


	12. Chapter 12 - Truth and Consequences

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 12 - Truth and Consequences

* * *

\- _Present day _-

Anna smiled widely at the numbers on the scoreboard. Her 223 hung above Elsa's 221, glowing brightly. The blonde stared at the score, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She resisted the urge to gloat. Clearly, Elsa had been setting her up, and just as clearly it had backfired. They'd had such a good evening, she didn't want to ruin the progress they'd made by rubbing it in her face now.

That could come later, she thought with an evil grin.

Right now, she needed to make sure the evening ended well. Looking back, she was pleased with how it went. Okay, there'd been the awkwardness with Colette, plus Elsa had ended up paying for dinner when Anna was the one who'd said it was going to be on her. But those were minor things. Elsa was smiling at her, talking with her, and if she didn't look too happy right now, well, she was the one who'd suggested they do something else. All in all, things were going well.

"Let's go get some ice cream, I feel like celebrating!" Anna cheered.

"We just had dessert right before this." Elsa pointed out.

"Dessert and ice cream are two different things." Anna reasoned.

"Fine." The blonde yielded. She guided them back towards the main street in town. The walk to the ice cream store was fairly short. Elsa even paid for their new desserts, overriding Anna's protest. They walked slowly towards where Elsa parked the van, neither in a rush to get there.

On the way, she couldn't help but think that Elsa had worn those stupid gloves even while bowling. Anna considered making her tell her what was going on with them as her favor, but dismissed the idea. It felt like a violation of her promise that they'd only talk about it when Elsa was ready. Besides, whatever she asked for, she wanted to have fun with it.

She managed to keep the mood going during the drive back. They talked about movies they liked. Anna couldn't believe the blonde had never seen _Big Trouble In Little China_, while Elsa teased her about being too afraid to sit through all of _Alien_. And they both agreed there were only three Indiana Jones movies. Somehow during the ride, they agreed to try for a movie night on one of the next few days.

The two girls wound up in the break room, neither of them tired enough for sleep yet. Elsa took one of the chairs while Anna flopped on the couch. "Ugh, too much ice cream."

"You should have gone with a small cone like I did." Elsa told her.

"Yeah, yeah..." Anna waved it off.

"So..." A note of nervousness entered the other girl's voice. "What am I going to be doing for you?"

Anna grinned at her, unable to hide her happiness with the moment. Aside from the gloves, there was one thing she'd been thinking about, off and on. It would be fun, and she was sure that after the blonde got over her initial embarrassment, she'd like it too. But she was going to wait on it, let Elsa stew for a while. "Oh, I'm not sure yet. I need to think of something really good..." Elsa paled at that, and Anna fought to hide her giggle. Now to drag it out a bit, make her really worry. "I mean, you did say _anything_, after all."

"Anna..."

"An-y-thing." She stretched out the word.

"Fine." Elsa conceded.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I mean, you don't have any allergies or embarrassing birthmarks, right?" Another grin as the blonde twitched. Maybe it was revenge for having to watch Colette drool all over Elsa at dinner, but she enjoyed this.

"Allergies?!" Elsa yelped.

"Well, it shouldn't be a big deal."

"You're just teasing me now, aren't you?" Elsa started to calm, but she still looked wary.

"Maybe..." Anna admitted.

"You're not going to tell me what you're planning, are you?"

"Nope."

"You're going to make me wait and worry about it."

"Yep."

"You're pure evil, Anna." She smiled at the glare sent her way.

The redhead got up and stretched, yawning deliberately. "I think I'm feeling a bit tired now. I could use some rest. Lots of planning to do." She winked at Elsa. "Just remember, an-y-thing." Anna left Elsa sitting there, the other girl stuck in a loop between angry and worried. She did need to figure out what exactly to do, though. Her idea might work, but she wanted this to be really, really good.

* * *

Elsa watched Anna leave the break room, not liking the ominous hints the other girl had given her. On the one hand, she was fairly sure that Anna was teasing, and that whatever she was going to force her to do would be something embarrassing but fun. Anna wouldn't use it to hurt her or anything, maybe just play around a bit.

On the other hand, she just might do something crazy, because it was Anna, after all.

Elsa returned to her own room, that last thought hanging ominously in her mind. What _was_ Anna planning? Numbly, she gathered her kit and towel and headed for the shower. She had been joking about the allergy thing, right? She locked the door behind herself. And that remark about birthmarks, there was no way Anna would...

Elsa started the shower, trying her best to put it all out of her mind. If she kept thinking about this, it would drive her nuts, which was probably what Anna intended in the first place. She ignored the cold water as usual, too busy trying not to think about what Anna was going to ask her to do. Of course, telling herself not to think about it only made her think about it more and more...

_What is she going to ask us to do?_

_I don't know. But we're stuck._

_Yeah, why did you have to go and make that stupid bet._

_You were there too! Getting flustered because of a little friendly dancing._

_Friends do _not_ dance like that._

_Like you were complaining._

_Well, you were the one who stopped us._

_The last thing we need is to mess things up with Anna. We just got back to normal, more or less. And you were about to have us going way past that._

_She grabbed our hip, pulled us in to her._

_Trust me, I noticed._

_She wanted us._

_She was pissed at Colette._

_Jealous, more like._

_..._

_..._

_No... she wasn't. ...Was she?_

_We've been jealous before. Hans, remember? We know what it looks like and yes, she was jealous._

_Yeah, but, she, I mean, she's not... shut up._

_You know I'm right._

_Debatable, but it still leaves us with the problem of the bet._

_Right. You know, she might just..._

_No way is that happening._

_I didn't say anything yet._

_You didn't have to. I know what you were going to say._

_Oh please, you would like it too._

_Well... yes._

_Be honest, you'd like it a lot if she asked us for things like that._

_...Yes._

_And she did look really hot when she got jealous._

_Oh yeah..._

_Dancing with us._

_Her hands on us._

_Close enough to smell her._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Um, where were we?_

_How the hell should I know? We were talking about dancing with Anna, and got distracted._

_Right. So, find a way to make Anna jealous again?_

_I think I can go along with that._

* * *

_\- The next day_ -

"..._It took some doing, but I managed to convince Eugene that we did not need to check on the princesses. They deserve whatever happiness they can find, especially since I fear that the days to come will be difficult. Prince Hans will not willingly relinquish his grasp on Arendelle. But I would rather not speak of him today._

_I did not wish to disturb them, but as the day progressed, I knew I had no choice. I did my best to give them what privacy I could, but it was very clear what they had been doing. When she first arrived, I never would have imagined Anna together with Princess Elsa like this. Now, I cannot imagine them with anyone else. I rejoice that they have finally confirmed their love. I hate that I must now drag them back to reality, but even as I set these words down, the afternoon sun is close to the horizon."_

Anna tore her eyes off the diary page in front of her. She'd been expecting this, given how the past few entries had been heading, but even so, to know that the two princesses finally... went all the way... left her feeling vaguely embarrassed. Because unless she was greatly misreading the page, the two girls had just been caught by their friend having sex.

"Wow, so they really did it." Kristoff set down his page.

"Yeah." Anna breathed. Okay, so it was sort of exciting to think about. Two people who loved each other throwing away all the rules and just going for what they both wanted. It left her feeling tense in a rather new way. In fact, the only time she could ever remember feeling so wound up was...

was...

...was...

_Now is really not the time to think about how Elsa looked in that towel! This has to be some sort of revenge for last night. That's got to be it, I teased Elsa too much about the bet and was all petty and jealous with her friend, and I pushed things way too far with the dancing. This is just fate punishing me. Yup. That's all it is. Just don't think about it. No thoughts about Elsa in her towel._

Of course it really, _really_ hadn't helped that the blonde had starred in several of Anna's dreams the previous night. The most memorable one had involved dancing with Elsa, except this time without the other girl stopping them. Clothes had stayed on for the most part, but hands wandered, buttons and zippers had been undone, and there had been some rather involved kissing.

She'd managed to mumble her way through the morning with the blonde, hiding her blushes behind books as best she could. As much as she wished she could just avoid her today, she knew she'd hurt Elsa if she acted too weird. So she'd spend most of her day sitting across from her, pretending that she hadn't woken up with damp panties because of the other girl. _That_ was something she was not prepared to admit to anyone, ever.

"Anna, you okay?" Kristoff's concerned voice cut right through her mental fog.

"What? Yes?" She snapped her head up. "I'm fine. Totally fine." She clamped her mouth shut before she could say what she'd really been thinking about. "One hundred percent fine."

"Right." Clearly, he didn't believe her. "So how was your date with Elsa last night, anyway?"

Anna choked. "ITWASN'TADATE! Not a date! Just two friends out for activities together. Not a date at all. I was trying to fix things. That's all!" Oh no, he was smiling at her. "You said to fix things, the restaurant was her idea. So there, not a date!" Was he laughing at her? "Okay, I can see how it might look sort of date-like, but it wasn't! And the dancing thing was not my fault! Bowling wasn't my idea anyway, even if she ended up losing."

Kristoff held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, I get it. It wasn't a date." He was still smiling at her though.

"Not-a-date! Got it? Not-a-date!" Anna repeated. Maybe if she kept saying it enough, she could even believe it herself.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago _-

Anna's fingers slipped easily between Elsa's on their walk back to Arendelle castle. The taller girl turned to her and they shared a tender smile. Anna squeezed the warm hand and leaned in as they walked, bumping her shoulder against her lover. She wanted nothing more than to make this walk last. To spend every moment she could with Elsa. To...

"Okay you two, if you don't stop looking at each other like that, I'm throwing you both in the nearest pond I can find." Rapunzel threatened from behind them.

"We weren't..." Elsa started to protest.

"Undressing each other with your eyes?" The brunette snorted, cutting off the older girl. "Please."

"You could have just left us alone and gone back to the castle with Eugene." Elsa pointed out, and Anna nodded along with her. She could see no downsides to that plan at all. Lots more sex with Elsa and no interruptions? Perfect.

"And then Anna's father sends out the guards to find you two when you miss supper tonight. Would you rather have them stumbling on you?" Okay, maybe the plan had a few flaws.

"Help me out here?" Elsa sent her a pleading look.

"What? She lost me when she said 'undress you'..." Anna purred. She watched the resulting fierce blush and decided she needed to make that happen again later on. When they were alone.

"Why are you stopping?" Rapunzel asked them.

"Sorry, Punz, I think I broke Elsa." Anna giggled.

"God, and you thought I was bad after my first time..." Her friend prodded them both. "Get moving, already. I have a boyfriend at the castle waiting for me."

Anna tugged her lover along, pulling Elsa into motion. She liked the way the blonde's eyes kept travelling to her hips as they walked. She liked Elsa looking at her. She put an extra wiggle in her step and the feel of Elsa's fingers tightening their grip on her own was all the reward she needed. She decided to-

"Hey! Stop it! I'm still right behind you."

"Spoilsport." Anna pouted.

"Well, you better get it under control or people back at the castle will notice." The brunette pointed out.

That thought sent a jolt of cold, unforgiving reality crashing through the mood. If anyone found out... She shared a look of fear with Elsa, knowing the other girl was thinking the same thing. Her station would not protect her. If anything, it would be worse, since her actions would reflect on her family as well. The warm hand holding hers gripped her fingers again, this time seeking comfort, not pleasure. Her own return squeeze was just as desperate.

The rest of the walk was silent. Both girls were lost in thought, needing a solution, something to let them be together but also protect them from discovery. The barely noticed when the woods thinned out, the castle drawing near.

"Something's not right." Rapunzel stopped the pair, dragging them out of their worries. "Eugene should have met us by now."

Anna frowned, looking at the castle. The brunette was correct, something was different. She couldn't say what, but her home had changed in some subtle way. "I don't like this."

Then it hit her. The castle was quiet. No music drifting from the great hall, no sounds of the servants relaxing in the yard. Even the usual calls of the guards were missing tonight. She turned to Rapunzel. "Have you ever heard it this quiet before?"

"No, never." Her friend tilted her head, straining to catch any hint of a sound.

"I have a very bad feeling about this." Anna's instincts screamed at her to flee back to the woods, but she couldn't leave now, not without knowing what had happened. Her parents and Eugene were still there.

"What do we do?" Elsa joined in the conversation. The blonde sounded worried, but her eyes showed only faith in Anna. Whatever she decided, her lover would follow her.

"Well, I think going back through the main gate would be a very bad idea." Anna looked closer and could see guards there. Many more guards than usual. She counted at least twenty in the dim light, far more than the usual four. Her father never needed many guards at all for the castle.

"I bet the back gate is equally guarded." Rapunzel frowned.

"Why don't we just go over the wall?" Elsa asked.

"I'm not sure I can climb it in this dress." Anna grimaced.

"That won't be a problem." Elsa replied confidently. She raised her hand, the faint blue glow of her magic surrounding it and snow swirled down, solidifying into a step of ice. She raised an eyebrow to the other two girls.

"Have I told you how hot you are when you do that?" Anna grinned at the blonde.

"Save family and friends now, flirt later." Despite her words, Rapunzel had a smile too. "This could work. We could go over on the west side. I doubt they'd be expecting that, since that side borders the bay."

The three girls kept to the treeline, slowly making their way to the bay while skirting the town. Once at the water's edge, Elsa conjured a small sheet of ice. Using her magic, she floated them up to the castle wall. A further gesture called out a narrow stairway. Anna led the way up, followed by Rapunzel. Once Elsa joined them, she waved her hand, melting the sheet of ice back into the ocean. Catching the other girls' looks, she explained. "I didn't want anyone spotting it by accident. I'm going to do the same to the stairs once we're up top. I can always make another if we need it."

"Good idea." Anna was glad that Elsa at least had considered how they were going to get out. So far, her thoughts had been limited to finding her family and Eugene.

They crept up the stairway and once they reached the top of the wall, Elsa dissolved the stairs. Anna led them down off the wall and they snuck through the gardens. Opening one of the servant's entrances, they ducked inside. "What now?" Rapunzel asked the other two.

"I'm not sure. I think we should find someone, ask them quietly what's going on." Anna suggested.

"I'll go." Rapunzel volunteered. "You two should find somewhere out of the way to wait."

"My rooms?" Anna asked.

"No." Elsa shook her head. "If something is going on here, we need somewhere they wouldn't think to look for us. So, not our rooms and not the solar."

"How about the old library?" Anna tried to remember the path through the servant's halls to there. "Practically no one goes there anymore. The past few times I've been there, it's been empty."

"Okay, I'll meet you there when I find out what's going on." Rapunzel put on a brave front for her friends. "If I'm not there in an hour, find a way out of here."

Anna led Elsa through the passages until she found the door she needed. The creak of its hinges made her wince, but the room beyond was deserted, just like she hoped. Hiding her worry for her friends, she sat down at one of the tables. The books she'd been reading the last time she'd visited were still piled there, and even better, a lantern hung on the wall nearby.

Elsa sat down across from her and picked up one of the books once Anna returned with the lantern. She arched a lovely platinum brow at the redhead. "Fairy tales and magic? Really?"

Anna blushed. "I was worred you were so tired all the time, so I tried to find something that might help you." She was glad to have something to talk about while they waited for Rapunzel to meet them, otherwise she'd probably collapse into a nervous wreck. "Besides, you of all people have no room to make fun of fairy tales."

"True."

They sat quietly there for a moment. "This is taking too long." Anna spoke up.

"It hasn't even been close to an hour yet." Elsa pointed out.

"Look, I don't care how crazy you might think I sound, but something went wrong. I know it. Please just trust me on this."

"I do trust you Anna. But what should we do?"

"I think we-" She cut off when they heard footsteps outside the door. Too many footsteps for just Rapunzel and Eugene. She motioned for Elsa to stay quiet, while she dimmed the lantern.

Her heart pounding in her chest, she slowly advanced towards the door. She made it about halfway across the room before the door burst open, half a dozen guards pouring in. Behind them, Prince Hans strode into the room, followed by a crying Rapunzel. The other girl looked at them. "I'm sorry, I had to!" She managed to get out before a guard covered her mouth with a gloved hand.

Hans must have noticed the hurt look on her face because his voice was full of scorn when he spoke up. "Don't be too upset with your friend, Princess Anna. She's only doing the right thing, even if it took a little... motivation." At that he gave a nod, and two more guards dragged in Eugene, one of them holding a sword to the boy's neck. A thin trail of blood trickled down from where the tip had pierced his skin. "Now why don't you step over here and we can keep things civilized."

Anna measured the distance between her and Hans and then her and the servant's door. She was too far away to make it, not before one of the guards grabbed her. She was debating making a run for it anyway when Hans took a step forward. "Let me save you from the Ice Witch. It's not your fault you're under her spell."

Her eyes widened as two of the guards raised their crossbows, pointing them at Elsa. "And Princess Elsa, the bishop assures me he will do everything in his power to save your soul from whatever dark bargain you might have made."

Anna felt a tear leak from the corner of her eye. She was too far, but Elsa wasn't. She turned towards the other girl and hurled the lantern onto the table between them. Oil splashed from the base and the flames eagerly followed, licking at the books and papers scattered on the table. She met Elsa's eyes. "Run!"

Elsa just stood there, not moving, so Anna grabbed one of the books that wasn't burning and threw it at her, screaming. "Run! Run, Elsa! Go!" She was still shouting when strong hands crashed down on her shoulders, pulling her back from the growing blaze. "Run!" Elsa was crying too, but she'd started moving back, listening to Anna's plea. Something slammed into Anna's abdomen, driving the breath from her body. She collapsed to the floor. As darkness took her, she dimly heard Hans' voice.

"Lock them in their chambers and post extra guards. Send word to the outer patrols, Princess Elsa is to be taken alive at all costs..."

* * *

_\- Present day_ -

Elsa groaned, rubbing her neck to get some of the soreness out. She hated the end of the month budget review, hated even more that she always ended up doing the vast majority of the work. However, she knew from experience that if she didn't take care of it, Kristoff would put it off until it was past due, and Professor Weselton would forget to include random expenditures like food or gas for the vans. After one particularly miserable month of nothing but mac and cheese, Elsa found herself preparing the next budget. Then the next. Then somehow it was just one more thing she was in charge of here at Arendelle.

"You look like you could use a break." Elsa looked up from the papers to see Anna standing in the doorway. A shiver of worry crawled through her, just as it had every time she'd seen the redhead in the week since their dinner in town. So far, Anna refused to call in her favor, settling for teasing the blonde about it from time to time.

"Probably, but I only have two more days if I want to get this in on time."

"What are you working on?" The other girl walked to the table, looking over her shoulder.

"I'm taking care of our budget for the month." Elsa told her.

"Wow." Anna sounded impressed. "How come you do that? I thought it was usually the professors who did things like this."

"Well, if I leave it up to Weselton, he doesn't always put everything in, so we either end up short on some necessities or have to make up the difference ourselves. And Kristoff... Just no. I mean, the boy still thinks Betsi is a real vehicle. Plus, he'd probably have us all eating reindeer or something."

Anna giggled at that. "Okay, fair point. How much more do you have to go?"

"Another couple hours, probably." Elsa sighed. She streched her neck again. Unlike her work in the library, the budget was not relaxing in any way, so she tended to tense up while she went over it.

Anna didn't say anything, and for a moment Elsa was sure the other girl had decided to leave her to her work. Then she heard a muffled thump as the redhead parked a chair right behind hers. She nearly jumped out of her own chair when she felt Anna's hands on her shoulders. "You look tense." The redhead's voice spoke softly to her as her thumbs sought out knots in the muscles.

"Uh." Elsa's brain locked up, banishing all thoughts except for those involving what Anna was currently doing.

"I'm sorry if I've been a bit of a jerk about the favor thing." _I _so_ don't care about that right now! You can have a million favors if you just keep doing what you're doing!_

"It's... ok..." She managed to say.

"No, it's not." Anna's thumbs dug into a particularly stubborn knot of tension, and Elsa nearly melted. _Don't stop, please don't stop!_

"...ohhhh..." Elsa groaned.

"Though, I am a bit disappointed in you. You promised me a movie night, Elsa, and it still hasn't happened." One of her fingers brushed the blonde's neck.

"...sor... ry..."

"I understand that you need to finish up the budget tonight, so we'll do it tomorrow night." Anna was doing a masterful job of relaxing her shoulders, but Elsa could feel all that tension relocating to other, lower areas of her body.

"Sure." She agreed absently, not sure at all what Anna had just said.

"I get to pick the movie." A thumb pressed in below her shoulderblade.

"Whatever you want, Anna." Elsa replied.

"And the snack." She felt a small trail of drool leak from the corner of her mouth.

"Sure."

"Oh, by the way, my friends are coming to visit for spring break next week, so would you mind if we take the van to pick them up on Monday?" The other hand drifted back to the top of her shoulder, squeezing it.

"Sure."

The redhead stopped talking but continued her massage. Elsa closed her eyes, shutting out everything but the feel of Anna's hands on her. She didn't want to deal with anything else right now. Anna was touching her.

Anna.

Was.

Touching.

Her.

Without thought, she reached up, her hand taking hold of Anna's. She drew it forward and tilted her head, planting a gentle kiss on the back of the soft, warm hand.

* * *

Anna froze in place the instant Elsa's lips made contact with her skin. _What the CRAP just happened?!_ She had no idea what to do. Her eyes widened, her breath tight in her chest. "Um, I should probably let you get back to work, soI'mjustgonnagoseeyoutomorrowbye."

Anna dashed from the room before Elsa could reply, or even turn. Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she dashed to the gallery room. She threw herself onto the couch, trying desperately to catch her breath. "Sorry to barge in here like this, but this one's an emergency, Joan!"

The painting stared down at her, waiting for her to compose herself. "I, um, wow, I'm not sure where to start here." She held the hand Elsa had kissed in front of her, the tingle from the brief contact still vivid. "I guess this, probably."

Was that a hint of Elsa's lip gloss? _Stop! No! Bad Anna!_ "So I ran into Elsa while she was working on the budgets. She looked so stressed. I felt bad 'cause she has to deal with this and I've been teasing her about that bet all week, so I wanted to help her relax a bit."

Anna glared up at the painting. "Don't look at me like that! I just wanted to give her a friendly massage. She looked so sore, sitting there. She's the one who kissed me. My hand. Whatever."

She could feel Joan judging her silently. "What? I can't give a massage to a friend? Well, doesn't matter now. I totally freaked out on her. Again. At this rate, I'm gonna give her mood whiplash or something."

She sank further into the plush cushions. "What am I going to do, Joan? And don't say another apology dinner thing, that's what started this mess in the first place. I can't have Elsa being all wonderful and making it really fun, despite some flirty french server trying to interrupt our not-a-date."

Anna sat up, drumming her heels against the ground. "So yeah, I'm kinda stuck at the moment. Even worse, my friends are showing up next week, and I really can't have them seeing me like this. Suggestions on how to fix this would be appreciated."

Joan, of course, had none to offer her as usual. "Right, figure out how to solve my own problems. Got it." Anna stood up. "I think I'll get started on that right now." Anna grabbed her coat, setting off on the hiking trail. Hot chocolate sounded really, really good right about now.

* * *

The rest of the week crawled by for Elsa. Whenever she had to interact with Anna, it felt like she'd been thrust back in time to her early teens. All the awkwardness and uncertainty that plagued her rushed back, threatening to smother her. A burning drive to take action fought against her insecurities, and the result was a very confused and easily distracted Elsa.

Finally, on Sunday, Elsa found herself walking to town. She needed to talk to someone about all the chaos in her head. That or she just might go crazy. So she decided to take advantage of the day off to go see Kai and Gerda. They were family after all, or at least as much family as Elsa had anymore.

She knocked on the door of their cottage, marvelling yet again how their house always managed to feel more like home than anywhere else did. Gerda opened the door, her bright smile lighting up as she saw her visitor. "Elsa!" The older woman hugged her. "Come in!"

She noticed Elsa's glance around the living room and chuckled. "Kai will be back in a little bit. He's out buying some seeds for the garden. If the weather stays nice, you have to come help us plant again this year."

"I'd love to." Elsa assured her. Spring with the old couple was one of her favorite times here at Arendelle. The easy companionship, the warm sun on her face, listening to their stories... Elsa always looked forward to her spring weekends. It was something she'd never had with her own parents, and she hadn't known how deeply she wanted it until she met Kai and Gerda.

"So what brings you by today? I know the ends of the months are usually your busy time." Elsa was about to say she was sorry for not visiting earlier, but Gerda cut her off before she could even start. "I know you love working at the site, even when you're stuck doing the budgets, so don't apologize."

"Gerda, I need some advice." Elsa dreaded having this conversation with anyone, given what she needed to ask. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you and Kai meet? Did he ask you out?"

"Oh, no, I was the one to do the asking. Took me a while to get around to it too." Gerda poured some tea then reclined in her chair. "We grew up together, and when we were little, he drove me crazy." Elsa smiled as she tried to picture her friends as kids. Gerda continued her story. "It wasn't until high school that I saw him as something more than the annoyance down the street who threw mud at me back in kindergarden."

"What happened?"

"He asked out my best friend at the time." Elsa winced at the thought, but Gerda only laughed. "Oh don't worry, it all worked out. Though I'm not sure who was more surprised when I pulled him aside and kissed him, me or him."

Gerda set aside the tea and leaned forward, focusing on the blonde. "Now, why don't you tell me why you're really asking. I know something's troubling you, Elsa."

"I guess I've only just realized how much I don't know about things that matter." Elsa mumbled. "I feel like I missed an important class, one that everyone else took, but no one will tell me about it!"

She could see the older woman fighting to hide a smile, and blushed, knowing how foolish she must look right now. "This is about Anna, right?"

"I never said that!" Elsa protested, mortified. Was she that obvious?

"Elsa, every time you mention her, your face lights up." Okay, apparently she was. "You like her, so what's bothering you?"

"I don't know..." She didn't know how it was possible, but she could feel her blush intensify. "I don't know how to... you know... tell her." She rushed on, trying to find a way to explain to her friend. "I've tried stuff, but I mess things up or it gets weird between us or I freeze up."

"Tried stuff?" Gerda no longer hid her smile.

"I want to tell her, but I don't want to lose her as a friend when she rejects me."

"Why do you say it like that? Who said she was going to reject you?" A stern note colored the older woman's tone. "You can't let yourself think that way."

"Gerda, she's straight and I'm a hopeless antisocial misfit with nothing to offer her. Of course she'll say no! I don't even know why she puts up with me in the first place, but she's one of the few real friends I've ever had, and I can't lose that. I can't!"

"Oh Elsa..." The older woman soothed. "First of all, I won't have you spouting any more of that talk. You're such a wonderful person, anyone you choose to love should be deeply thankful for the chance to have you in their life. So don't you dare say you have nothing to offer. And second, she puts up with you because I'm sure she sees in you all the amazing things Kai and I do, and Kristoff, and all your other friends."

"Gerda..." She tried to protest.

"Colette was by the other day, and she was actually smiling for once. She said you were out with Anna, having dinner. She was happy for you, Elsa." Gerda's words slipped right past her defenses. "I know you, I know it wasn't a date like she imagined, but I'm still happy for you too."

Elsa thought about that for a while. At the time, she'd been sure that Colette was just causing trouble for her as usual, the way she did with all her friends. The chef loved to stir things up, to 'add some spice to everyone's life'. She thought back to Colette's stories about cooking school in Paris, all the trouble she had trying to be accepted as a real chef, simply because she was female. That drive was part of what had drawn them together as friends in the first place. She'd been the first friend Elsa had confided in, besides Kristoff. Colette obviously saw that she wanted more from Anna than just friendship. Had she really been trying to help Elsa?

"Third," Gerda continued. "I know this is going to be hard to hear for you, and even harder to do, but loving someone means opening up to them. You have to take a chance. Yes, it could hurt, but what you can get in return is so much greater than you can imagine."

"I'm scared." Elsa admitted.

"I know." The old woman smiled sadly at her. "It won't be easy. But I'm here for you. Kai too. And Kristoff and Colette. We'll make sure you're okay."

"I don't know if I can. I want to - I think about it all the time! - but whenever I try, I just can't."

"You can, Elsa. You're a lot stronger than you know. You just need to give yourself a chance. Give her a chance. And," She added with a twinkle in her eye. "You know none of us are going to leave you alone about this until you do."

"Fine, I'll try." Elsa was shaking like a leaf, but Gerda didn't mention it, not wanting to damage the fragile confidence she'd been building up in the girl. "But I still don't know what to do! I've never asked out anyone, not really. What do I do?"

"You two shared dinner, why not keep it simple like that? What does she like?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know all that much about her." Simple things. "Anna loves chocolate, and she'd probably eat it every meal if she could, but everyone who's ever met her knows that." Elsa thought back. Keep it simple. "She likes movies, even the scary ones she can't watch all the way through. She loves to read, and she'll read anything she can, but only if it's an actual book, because she says e-books have no soul. She likes to bowl, but she doesn't want anyone else to know because she thinks it's too dorky..."

Gerda smiled as the young girl continued. It was painfully obvious to her how Elsa felt about the other girl. If anyone else listened to her right now, they'd figure it out too. If she showed this side of herself to Anna, the girl would fall all over her. But she'd been hurt too much in the past. She resolved to get Elsa out there, back into life, one way or another.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago_ -

Anna's eyes fluttered open. Her head pounded, the ache almost blinding. She sat up and looked around, recognizing her own room. Rays of sunlight peeked past the shutters, stabbing at her eyes and making her headache worse. She sat up, ignoring a twinge of pain in her midsection.

Anna lurched to her feet, doing her best to steady herself, and limped to the door. She rattled the handle, but it was locked from the outside. Her heart sank. The last remaining hope that the previous night had just been a terrible dream was gone. But now the nightmare was far too real.

Rapunzel betrayed her. She didn't blame her friend, knowing how terrible her choice must have been. She hated herself for admitting it, but she likely would have done the same if someone else threatened Elsa in the same way.

Hans captured her. They'd finally completed the trade deal with France. She should have been free of the blackguard. But somehow, he'd outmaneuvered her.

Elsa was gone, dead or a fugitive. It broke Anna's heart to think of how scared she must be, if she was still alive at all. She'd screamed at her, thrown things at the blonde, begged her to run. She was gone and it was Anna's fault.

Was this some punishment from God? Were her sins truly so great? Was she to suffer for choosing to follow her heart, no matter how wrong the rest of the world believed it to be? Once Anna would have prayed, but now she could only find anger for a God who would show her a glimpse of true love only to cruelly snatch it away.

So Anna paced the room, venting her wrath and fear on the furniture and walls. Her voice grew ragged as she screamed out her pain. Bruises and scrapes decorated her knuckles and the once-neat room now looked as though a storm had passed through. Her energy eventually waned to the point where she collapsed on the bed, her fists pounding the mattress in helpless frustration. Then the tears flowed. She thought she would never stop crying. Elsa was gone! Gone!

A servant stopped by at midday, escorted by a Church guard, to deliver her lunch, but Anna flung the tray to the floor. How could she even consider eating at a time like this! She was ready to do the same at supper time, but her evening meal never arrived. Instead, Prince Hans entered, followed by several guards as well as the Bishop. If not for the pikes the guards carried, Anna would have thrown herself at Hans and done her best to remove the bastard from existence.

Instead, she was forced to watch as he righted a chair and sat in it, that insufferable smug smirk firm on his face. Her rage grew even greater when he unwrapped a small bundle, revealing the ice rose Elsa made for her. He had no right to touch that! No right at all!

"So, Highness, shall we discuss Princess Elsa?"

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the present, Anna's friends visit and Elsa finds out what Anna intends to do with her favor. Meanwhile in the past, Hans reveals some of his plan, while we find out what happened to Elsa._

* * *

_A/N: Woooow, so this one is not only the longest one so far, but also both the easiest and hardest to write. Hardest, because Modern-Elsa and Anna deserve a break - and it is coming, I promise! - but I just can't give it to them yet. Also, it was rough writing what happened in the past. Easiest, because this one just poured out. I was up till 5 am writing the thing, and I only noticed how long I'd been going when my windows started getting light again. So I've been a zombie all day, but it was worth it. I couldn't stop this one!_


	13. Chapter 13 - Hide and Seek

_A/N: For those who were confused last chapter - the guards that grabbed Anna were not the normal palace guards, they were Church guards. It makes a difference, you'll see._

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 13 - Hide and Seek

* * *

_\- Present day -_

Anna bounced in her seat. She knew she should get herself under control, but she couldn't help it! Ariel and Mulan were arriving today! She glanced over at her companion in the driver's seat, but Elsa didn't share her enthusiasm. The blonde maintained her usual air of calm goodwill that she presented to most people. Still, Anna could see that something had changed with her. She seemed more at ease with herself than she had been for a while.

Neither of them mentioned the events of the previous day. No more massages, and certainly no more kisses! Anna still couldn't believe that had happened at all. Not even copious amounts of hot chocolate had been able to erase the feel of Elsa's lips on the back of her hand. She shoved down a rising blush, not wanting to make things awkward between them.

The van bounced and lurched over the rough road, the gravel crunching underneath the tires as Elsa expertly drove them towards the bus depot. One particularly large bump elicited a yelp from Anna and an excited laugh from Elsa.

Anna watched the countryside roll by, trying to pick up any details she might have missed on her way to Arendelle the first time. Green growth poked its way clear of any lingering snow, while the days steadily warmed up. It was positively beautiful, charming in a rustic way that touched something deep inside Anna.

The bus depot pulled into view. Anna pressed her face to the window, searching for a hint of her friends.

Sure enough, she spotted a familiar mane of fire-red hair. Ariel made it! And next to her, a shorter asian girl. Mulan too! She squealed when she noticed a taller young man trailing behind her dark-haired friend. So Mulan managed to snare Shang after all! This was going to be the best spring break ever!

"Anna!" "Ari!" " 'Lan" Their greetings mingled together in an excited mash. Questions and comments ran together until a lack of oxygen forced them all to calm down. "So, how was the flight? Did you like the bus ride?"

Ariel blanched at the word 'flight'. "Mercifully I slept through most of the plane ride." She shuddered. "I might have to see if I can go back on a boat or something. Flying is not my thing."

Mulan laughed. "The plane ride was fine, if a bit long. I really liked seeing England."

"Not that she saw much of it." Ariel whispered to Anna with a pointed glance at Shang. "I'm so glad to see you again, Anna. It's nice to have someone I can actually talk to. Who's not 'busy' all the time."

"So they..." Anna's eyes drifted over to where Mulan was helping Shang gather their luggage.

"All the fucking time, and I mean that literally." Ariel grimaced. "I don't know whether to be happy for her or strangle her."

Anna giggled. "I'm just happy at least one of us has a working relationship."

"Yes, we heard about you and Hans. Good riddance." Ariel replied. "Something about him always seemed a bit too slimy."

"Ari, he's a nice boy, I... it just didn't work, that's all." Anna protested.

"Just saying."

"Well, what about you and Eric?" Anna wanted to know.

"What about him? He's still dating that skank Ursula. And yes, she's still trying to sing, despite her only talent being in her bra." She smiled bravely. "I hope there are some hot Norwegian boys around here. Show him what he's missing."

"You're impossible."

"You know it." The fiery redhead nodded fiercely.

"Good god, how many suitcases did she bring?" Anna watched in horror as the pile of luggage grew and grew.

"Shang's idea. That boy takes prepared to a whole new new level." Ariel rolled her eyes. Her eyes fastened on the blonde waiting next to the van. "So, who's that?"

"That's Elsa, she's one of the grad students here. And you better be nice, because she has the keys to the van and it's a long walk to the inn." Anna warned her.

Ariel's gaze lingered on Elsa long enough for Anna to start getting uncomfortable. Her friend turned to her. "Damn, forget Norwegian boys, I could go for that."

"Ari!" Anna hissed.

"What? She's hot." The other redhead shrugged.

"Yeah, but... she's my friend! And a girl!" She protested.

"Trust me, I noticed." Ariel returned her attention to the blonde.

"Look, just... Elsa's off limits, okay?" Anna glared at her.

"Fine, fine."

"I mean it, Ari." Anna pressed her friend.

"Okay, jeeze, she's all yours. But you owe me." Ariel relented.

"She's not- I don't- We're not-" Anna's train of thought derailed.

Ariel rolled her eyes. "You really need to relax, Anna. I was joking. I know it's sausage instead of fish for you."

"Still not funny."

"I don't know, it's a bit amusing how you turn that lovely shade of purple and your face scrunches up. You look like a raisin." She teased her friend.

"Ari!"

* * *

Elsa suffered through the ride to Oaken's inn with as much composure as she could muster. And she needed every bit of it. Between Anna singing along (badly) to the radio, to Mulan and Shang trying to see how far they could get in the back of a moving van, to Ariel trying to flirt with her every chance she got, Elsa's patience was stretched to the very limits. She was so relieved when they got there that she almost missed Anna's comment.

"I'd like you to drive us into town tonight." She nodded to the ginger. She could survive a short trip with the other three for Anna. "And you'll be joining us too. Dress nice, I'm calling in my favor."

"Anna-"

"Anything, Elsa." She gulped at the smirk the other girl was wearing, but nodded. She had promised, after all.

Elsa left her there to catch up with her friends, assuring them she'd be back after she finished work for the day. She mumbled her way through a 'hello' to Kristoff and barricaded herself in the library. Her eyes roamed over the books, but her mind was occupied elsewhere. What _was_ Anna going to ask her to do?

_What are we going to wear? She said dress nice._

_Why are you asking me? This is your department!_

_Yeah, but we need to look good._

_Yes, I know._

_Like, really good._

_She just wants to make a good impression on her friends. She wants us to join them, so it probably won't be what you're hoping for. So let's plan on that. Besides, if her friends like us, that can only help later on._

_True, so let's see... We need classy with the right amount of sexy._

_Oh?_

_Hey, she's the one who asked us to dress up. Not our fault if she didn't specify how._

_That is a great point._

_How about that strapless blue number we picked up last year? The one that's been sitting in the closet the whole time? I think it will show off our better attributes nicely._

_Oooh, that works. Though that will limit our bra choices._

_I don't see why that's a big deal, you're not going to let her see it tonight anyway._

_I just meant that if we really want to show off..._

_Oh! Right... Hmmm... The foam lined seamless and matching panties?_

_Okay. Heels?_

_Ugh, I hate them._

_Me too, but..._

_Yeah, yeah._

_Hair?_

_The braid. She seems to like it, and it lets us show more skin._

_I like that idea._

_So we have a plan?_

_Yup. We go along with whatever she has planned with good grace, be polite to her friends, some very light flirting._

_And keep the gloves on!_

_Well, yes, that goes without saying._

_Ahem. After that massage the other day, we were ready to let Anna take off anything she wanted from us._

_Please, please don't bring that up right now. We need to concentrate._

_Right, sorry. So let's just remember what Gerda told us - Be calm, confident. Let her see a new side of us. The important thing is, we give her a chance to see us as more than just a friend._

_We're really going to do this..._

_Yes._

_I'm nervous._

_I know. I am too._

_What if she doesn't..._

_We'll just have to take the chance._

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, five days after the capture_ -

Anna stared at the tray sitting on the table next to her bed as if it had a poisonous snake on it. Though, the snake would probably be an improvement over present company.

"You really should eat something, Anna. I can't have my betrothed looking like some starving peasant." Hans waved at the meal. "It's perfectly fine. I didn't do anything to it."

"Maybe the company spoiled my appetite." She bit out.

"I'm hurt." He smirked.

"No you're not." _Not yet, anyway!_

"You really should be nicer, Anna. After all, once I marry you, I'm going to rule Arendelle and the Southern Isles. Aurica too."

"Elsa and King Sven will never let you! They'll stop you!" She spat.

"Elsa will do nothing to me." His superior tone grated more and more. "As long as I have _you_, I have nothing to worry about from Elsa."

"She might surprise you."

"She's more than welcome to try. I rather hope she does." Something in his eyes chilled Anna. There was more going on here than he let on. Hans left her like that, still smiling that irritating grin.

Once he'd gone, Anna placed the tray next to the door for the servants to collect later. She had no reason to trust Hans. No reason at all. Besides, some of the servants would sneak in food for her from time to time, so it wasn't like she was going hungry. Not too hungry anyway. The Church guards that watched her door never let them speak to her or linger long at all.

If they had been her father's guards, she knew she could easily find a sympathetic ear, but these men were sworn to the Church. They'd never bend the rules for an accused heretic like her. No wonder Hans had been able to turn them so easily. No wonder everyone thought Elsa was the traitor.

She lay back on the bed, awaiting her next visitor. Since her capture five days ago, her schedule had been fairly unchanging. Hans would show up to taunt her in the mornings and evenings, while the Bishop would visit in the afternoons, concerned with the state of her soul. Privately, she wondered about the state of his own, considering his dealings with a known evil like Hans, but he was one of the very few points of contact she had with the outside world, and she couldn't risk antagonizing him too much.

"Greetings, my child." The cleric always entered with the same routine. "Have you decided to renounce the powers of darkness and confess your sins?"

"My only sin is being too blind to see how Hans is trying to take over the kingdom. I can't believe you're helping him with this. I thought the Church was above temporal matters."

"I was the one who approached Prince Hans for aid." Okay, so maybe she didn't have that much patience left. "We cannot let a foul sorceress spread her corruption over the kingdom. Prince Hans only wishes to help."

"After he planted those lies about Elsa."

"Not lies. He showed me the ice rose, too. I held it in my hands. My eyes are finally free to see that witch for what she truly is." His fervour was disturbing. "I can show you, too. Proof of the evil she intends for our kingdom." He knocked on the door. "Prince Hans has given leave for me to show you something, after which you will be returned to your chambers."

"Pass."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Highness." He motioned to the guards. "You will accompany me, one way or another." He led her down a hall to the northern end of the castle. Opening the shutters, he pointed out the window. "_There_ is your proof."

Anna's eyes travelled along the familiar outline of the North Mountain. In the five days since her imprisonment, the mountain had changed. Glittering like a diamond, a palace of ice shone in the sunlight near the summit. Even from this distance, Anna could spot the delicate curves and architecture of the new structure. Her heart swelled with joy. "Elsa..."

"The Ice Witch raised in in a single night. An entire palace, conjured by fell powers." The bishop spoke, his voice low. "That is what we fight against. That is what threatens Arendelle."

Anna tuned out his words, no longer caring for the bile the man repeated. Elsa was alive! She was alive, and she'd come for Anna. She just had to hold on until then.

* * *

_\- Present day _-

Anna's jaw dropped when Elsa joined them by the van. The blonde wore a blue dress that looked like she was poured into it. She swayed - there was no way Anna could call movement like that simply 'walking' - over to where she was waiting with her friends. Pausing only briefly before getting in the driver's side, she whispered in Anna's ear. "You did say to dress nice."

Anna wasn't the only one staring at the perfection that was Elsa's ass as she got in the van. Ariel leaned towards her, speaking quietly. "Anna, if you don't go for it, I will!"

She tried to raise an objection to that, but her brain was currently occupied watching Elsa shift to settle herself comfortably in the driver's seat. "So, where are we going?" Anna knew she was supposed to say something now. "Anna?" The blonde reached out, gently shaking her shoulder. "Anna, are you okay?"

"What? Yes? I'm here." Ariel laughed and Elsa covered a grin. "Huh?"

"Where did you want to go tonight, Anna?" Elsa repeated.

"Oh! Just go into town, I'll direct you from there." She'd asked Kristoff, and he confirmed that there was indeed somewhere that fit her idea. She didn't want to tell Elsa yet, as she hoped to surprise the other girl.

"Okay." She started the van and they drove to town. Throughout the ride, Anna's eyes kept wandering over to the blonde sitting next to her. Elsa looked stunning. She'd asked the taller girl to dress nice for tonight, but this was beyond anything she'd expected. Her gaze traced every curve, burning them into her mind.

"Anna, where now?" Well, she'd probably start at her neck and then down to those magnificent shoulder blades. Maybe some attention to her jawline...

"Anna!" Ariel thumped her arm, shaking her out of her daze.

"Whuh?"

"Where are we going?" The fiery redhead snapped.

"Um, turn here and park at that one." She pointed to one of the nicer bars.

_Okay Frostad, get your head in the game! She did this to rattle you, so try to remember the plan and don't let her get to you._ She tried to ignore the effect the blonde was having on her, but it was a losing battle. Elsa looked amazing. And Anna was really, really, _really_ enjoying the view. _The plan! Right, the plan!_

She led them into the bar and got a brief thrill of satisfaction as Elsa's face paled. "Karaoke?" The blonde asked nervously.

Struggling to regain a bit of control, Anna nodded. "Yep, you said anything, so you're going to sing for us." She'd hit on the idea after thinking about it for a while. Elsa's voice sounded musical normally, so Anna was sure that her singing would be incredible. It was also certain that Elsa would never do something like this on her own. And Anna thought that with all of them taking turns, the blonde might be embarrassed, but she'd end up having fun too.

The bar was fairly empty, so they had their choice of tables. Anna picked one close to the stage. They ordered some drinks then debated who was going first. Anna had originally planned on making Elsa sing first, but the blonde was still looking like she was half a second from total panic, so she didn't press the issue. Ariel tried to volunteer Anna herself, but Anna refused, saying she shouldn't have to go first since she was buying the first round of drinks.

Mulan and Shang ended up taking the first song. They chose a sappy romantic duet - '_It's Your Love' - _ that had Ariel faking gagging sounds whenever they hit the chorus. Anna barely paid any attention - she needed to find a song for herself. From the glint in Ariel's eyes, she knew she was gong to end up singing next.

Anna chickened out and hit the 'random' button, ending up with _'True Colors_'. She thought she did okay - this part of the plan she hadn't really thought out all that well. She'd been so focused on making Elsa sing that she forgot she was going to have to sing as well. Ariel was snickering by the end of it, but Elsa had a soft smile that didn't seem to be mocking in any way, so Anna didn't mind.

Then it was Elsa's turn. Anna sat forward, curious as to what she would pick. She chose '_Come What May'_. Anna held her breath, and Elsa began to sing.

If Elsa's voice was lovely normally, it was heavenly when she sang. Anna's eyes followed the other girl as she moved on the stage. Elsa's own gaze fastened on her, and Anna knew that the blonde was singing just for her. Their eyes met as the song continued. Anna felt tense, as if electricity ran through her, charging her up for something. She could NOT look away. Her breath was shallow and rapid, matching the pounding of her heart.

_Ohmygod! That... wow..._ Elsa finished, and glided down off the stage to the table. Her friends applauded, even Ariel, but Anna was stuck, unable to move beyond following the blonde with her gaze. _Elsa sang that for me. For me! This is not how I pictured this going at all!_

_It's so much better._ That thought drifted through her mind, wrecking what little sense of control Anna had left. The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Elsa chatted with her friends, getting to know them. She could tell the blonde was genuinely making an effort, and that somehow made it even harder on Anna.

Anna had expected her to be flustered and embarrassed about the karaoke, to try to argue her way out of it, but Elsa not only participated, she picked out songs for Anna too. When she had told the other girl to dress nice, she'd thought Elsa would go with the skirt from the dinner not-a-date the other week. The blue dress Elsa showed up in was raising havok with her emotions. She'd expected her friends to be their usual crazy selves, but they were charmed by Elsa instead.

Anna stood up, not sure how long they'd been there. She'd been too caught up thinking about Elsa. She needed this night to be done. Stumbling back down into her seat, she glared at the surprised looks her friends gave her. "Sorry, I think I had too much to drink." Elsa offered to take her back to the site, but she waved it off. "I think I'll just walk back with my friends, if that's okay."

The blonde nodded sympathetically. "Call the site if you need a ride." She bid Anna's friends farewell and glided out the door.

Ariel waited until Elsa left before cornering Anna. "Okay, what's wrong with you? I don't think I've ever seen you spaz out as much as you have tonight."

"I don't know!" Anna spoke, low and harsh. "It was just supposed to be a fun way to call in my favor. I... I didn't expect _that!_"

"Yeah, that was so hot." Mulan elbowed Shang, but he continued. "She's totally into you."

"We're just friends." Anna protested.

"I meant what I said before. If you don't go for her, I will." Ariel stated. "She's amazing."

"I..." She tried to think of what to say to that.

"So why aren't you interested?" Mulan asked.

"I- She's a girl! I- I don't-"

"Anna-" Mulan tried to speak up, but Anna kept going over her.

"Why is this so hard for everyone to understand? She's just my friend, okay? The dress, the songs, that was just to mess with me. We made this stupid bet last week and I won. I've been teasing her about what I'd ask her to do, so this is just her way to get even. She knows I expected her to weasel out of it, so instead she does the opposite. And I hate it when stuff like that happens! How can I get mad at her when she's just so damn nice?! I spilled hot chocolate all over her, and she just shrugs it off and helps me save Grandma's gift. One minute we're just friends, then the next I give her this massage and she kisses my hand. And I don't even want to mention how I keep thinking about how amazing she looked in the sauna that one time and OH MY _GOD_! I have a giant crush on Elsa!" Her eyes widened and her mouth kept moving, but no more words came out.

"Breathe, Anna." Mulan steadied her as panic gripped her. She hadn't meant to say that last bit. Hell, she hadn't realized she even thought the last bit. She'd been talking and talking and it just popped out. "Just breathe."

She stared between her friends, looking from one to another. "What... What just happened?" She needed a drink. Several of them. Now.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, the morning after Anna's capture _-

Eugene gasped in pain as he finally slipped his hand free from the manacles. It had taken most of the night, but he'd used the fork he'd stolen from a passing servant to work the bindings. Now that he could maneuver his hands, it was simple to undo the remaining restraints.

Rubbing his wrists, he checked the small storeroom he'd been imprisoned in. Fortunately, Hans had ordered he be kept nearby as a check on Rapunzel's behavior, so rather than tossing him in the dungeons, they'd cleared out one of the storerooms and barred the door after shoving him inside. Even better, in their haste they'd missed a few things.

He grinned as he pulled a frying pan off the top shelf. It wasn't a sword, but it was better than nothing. Further searching yielded a dusty chef's apron and a canteen. Donning the apron, he looked down at himself. There was no way it would stand up to close inspection, but at least he wouldn't be spotted in his usual garb. Taking a drink of the stale water, he checked the door. With his hands free, it only took a minute for him to find a way to open it.

Eugene padded down the servant's passage, hiding whenever he glimpsed an approaching shape. After what had happened last night, he couldn't be sure who he could trust. He was almost to Rapunzel's room when a hand lightly gripped his shoulder. He smacked it with the frying pan, spinning to face his assailant.

"Owww." Elsa clutched her bruised fingers. "Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"Elsa!" He hugged his friend in relief. "I was so worried. How did you get away? How come you're still here?"

"I hid in one of the attics. I froze the door shut and waited till morning. Fortunately, they seem to think I fled the castle, so most of them are busy searching the outer areas, rather than inside. I've been looking for a way into Anna's chambers but it's too well guarded. So I came here, but Rapunzel's is the same. When I saw you about to go around the corner, I had to stop you. There are guards on the servant's door, more on the main door."

"Why are all these Church guards here? What happened to the Royal Guards?" He asked her.

"I don't know. I've been busy avoiding people. Since I'm wanted as the 'Ice Witch', I can't exactly go talk to everyone." Elsa replied bitterly. "From what little I've overheard, Hans tricked the king and got him out of the castle somehow, and most of the Royal guards went with them. So when the Church forces showed up, Hans just let them in."

"Where did they all come from?"

"They're up from Oslo, it seems. I heard a couple complaining about the forced march. The bishop wrote for aid against the Ice Witch, and the archbishop sent them to help."

"Great." Eugene grumped. "What do we do now?"

"I'm not sure." Elsa sat against one of the walls, her exhaustion and fear showing. "I want to save Anna, but we're severely outnumbered. And I don't know where else we can go."

"There might be a place we can get help." He said reluctantly. It would be stretching his promise to the breaking point, but he couldn't just leave Rapunzel and Anna in Hans' clutches. "We'll have to get out of the castle, somehow."

"I can get us out, but we need to wait for nightfall." Elsa told him.

"Okay. Let's sneak by the kitchens, get some food and drink. Then I know a place we can hole up until dark." He led her down the passage.

* * *

_\- Present day_ -

Elsa didn't go straight back to the site. She was far too excited about how well the evening had gone for her to go back now. After checking to see that the lights were indeed on, she parked the van in front of Kai and Gerda's house. She knocked on the door, unable to contain her happiness.

"Elsa!" Kai gasped when he saw her. "You look beautiful! Come in, come in. Gerda will want to see this too."

She hugged her friend and stepped inside. "Thanks, Kai." She couldn't stop smiling. "I owe her a huge thank you."

"For what?" He asked, amused.

Before she could answer, Gerda walked into the room and enveloped her in a warm hug. "Elsa! I almost didn't believe my eyes! So you went for it?"

"Oh, Gerda!" her smile grew even bigger. "Her friends are visiting for the week and she asked me to pick them up and then take them all to an evening in town."

"So that's why you're wearing the dress." Gerda returned the smile.

"She told me to wear something nice." Elsa giggled. "I did just like you said - be calm and confident, and it worked!" She hugged her friend again. "She was staring at me the whole night!"

"I don't blame her." Kai chuckled as he brought out a tray of tea, pouring for all of them.

"I'm so happy for you, Elsa." Gerda sipped her tea. "When are you going to ask her out?"

"I... I'm not sure." Elsa took a deep breath. "I haven't really thought that far ahead. I was focused on getting through tonight."

"Well, I'm proud of you. I know how hard this must have been for you." Gerda patted her hand.

"I feel so good right now." Elsa gushed. "Like I'm flying."

"I'd say you've earned it. Tell me what happened."

"Well, Anna said she was calling in her favor and she wanted me to join her friends tonight..."

* * *

Kristoff glared hatefully at the phone. For the first night in forever, he'd gotten to sleep early, intent on enjoying a long night of nothing but rest. So of course someone would call just when he'd been drifting off to sleep. "What?" He growled as he picked it up.

"_Um, is Elsa there?"_ A female voice he didn't recognize asked.

"She's not back yet. This is Kristoff."

"_Ah. Well, I'm Ariel, a friend of Anna's. She needs someone to pick her up."_

He glanced at his clock. "What happened?"

"_We were out and she had a bit too much to drink."_ He remembered Anna saying something about making plans with her friends who were visiting for spring break. _"We tried to get her to go back to the inn with us, but she's insisting she needs to talk to someone named Joan._"

"There's no Joan here." Kristoff told her.

"_Well, she thinks there is, and she says it's really important that she sees her."_ Ariel sighed.

He sighed too. So much for his night off. "I'll be there in a bit. Try to keep her out of trouble until then." He hung up and grabbed the keys for Betsi. "You owe me big for this, Anna." He muttered.

Mercifully, Betsi got him to town without breaking down for once. He drove to the bar, easily spotting Anna along with three other people. He guessed those were the friends she'd mentioned. Parking Betsi, he walked over to them.

Anna gave him a drunken smile. "Hey Kris!"

"Anna." He nodded to her. He turned to her friends. "You're the ones visiting her from out of town, right?"

"I'm so sorry about this." The asian girl apologized. "We tried to get her to stop or at least go back to the inn with us, but she keeps refusing."

"Yup, I need to see Joan!" Anna insisted.

"She keeps saying that, too." The girl shrugged.

"Right, help me get her in Betsi, then. I'll get her back home. Hopefully she'll make more sense in the morning." Kristoff tried to help Anna towards the car.

"Nononono! I'm full of sense!" Anna giggled. "Ask them. I told everyone!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure most of the bar heard you." The fiery redhead next to them rolled her eyes. Kristoff recognized her voice from the phone - she must be Ariel.

"Noooo, you can't tell him! He's friends with Elsa, he'll totally tell her." Anna implored them.

"Tell her what, Anna?" He asked as he belted her in the passenger seat.

"It's a secret!"

"Fine, whatever." He walked back to where her friends waited. "I'll get her back home. You guys can stop by in the morning, it's an easy hike from the inn."

"Sorry again about this. I'm Mulan by the way." "Shang." "Ariel."

"I'm Kristoff. Do you guys want a lift back to the inn? It's not that far out of the way."

Ariel eyed Betsi and shuddered. "I think I'll walk, clear my head and all that." Mulan and Shang nodded agreement. "Tell Anna we'll be by tomorrow to see her."

"Will do." He started Betsi, giving them a wave. Once the car was on the road, he slowed down and turned to his passenger. "So, want to tell me why you got so drunk tonight, Anna?"

"Yessss... but I can't! You'd tell Elsa and that wouldn't be fair! That's why I gotta talk to Joan, she won't tell anyone."

"There's no Joan at the site, Anna."

"Yes there is! She's in that big room with all the paintings. Ooooh, she's gonna be so mad at me, I shoulda told her first." Anna hiccuped.

"She's a... painting?" Kristoff asked hesitantly.

"Yup!" Anna nodded proudly. "She helped me figure out I don't like Hans. That's why I need to talk with her."

"Well, you should probably wait till morning, you're a bit..."

"I'm smashed!" She giggled, interrupting him. "I need to be smashed! Cause I'd be so freaking out otherwise! And do you know why? It's cause I'm totally gay for Elsa!"

"Wait, what?" Did she just say-

"I like Elsa, in a big 'want to kiss her lots' kind of way! But you can't tell her!" Apparently, she had. "I didn't know I liked her like this, but I do. I really do!"

"Okay... but I think you need to tell her this, not me."

"I can't tell her, cause I think she likes me." Anna protested.

"So you like her and she likes you. Why is that a problem?" Kristoff asked her, confused.

"She's a girl!"

"So?"

"So I don't know how to like a girl! And if she knows I like her and knows I know she likes me, then she'll expect me to do something, and I don't know what to do."

The lights from the site glowed in the distance. They were almost back. "Well, why don't you talk to... Joan in the morning when you're sober." Hopefully her friends would visit then, and he could pass this off onto them.

"Ohhhhkay." She slurred. "But you still can't tell Elsa."

"I won't tell Elsa." He helped her out of the car and back to her room. "Go to sleep, Anna." He sighed. The trolls would probably want to hear about this, and if tonight was already a lost cause, he might as well go visit them now. Hopefully tomorrow he could get a full night's sleep.

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, Eugene and Elsa go looking for help. And in the present, Anna deals with her new realization, while her friends try to get things moving between the two girls._

* * *

_A/N 1: This one was fun to write. Anna finally realizes what everyone else has already seen after her plan backfires. And I like writing drunk Anna, it's like regular Anna, only moreso._

_So anyway, Anna and Elsa are on the same page at last, more or less. Elsa just needed a bit of confidence, and Anna needed to get pushed out of her comfort zone, but they're ready. Now to have Anna's friends torment them a bit..._

_A/N 2: In case there's any confusion, the second 'Past' section actually takes place before the first. In the next chapter, there will be some more like that, as I fill in what happened in the five days between Anna's capture and when she's taken to see the Ice Palace._

_A/N 3: Here are the songs: It's Your Love - Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, True Colors - Cindy Lauper, Come What May - Moulin Rouge_


	14. Chapter 14 - Good Intentions

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 14 - Good Intentions

* * *

"Anna." Something poked her shoulder. Whatever it was, she wanted it to go away. Otherwise she'd have to move, and that would be bad. Like, super headache bad.

"Anna, get up, already." That sounded like Ariel, but if it was, that would mean last night really happened, and that was something Anna wasn't ready for. Unlike the last time she'd been out drinking, she remembered everything. Her only hope was for it to have been a dream.

"Anna!" Ariel yanked the blanket off her, shaking her in the bed. The fiery redhead held the blanket out of Anna's reach. Suppressing a groan, she sat up and spotted Mulan a step behind her friend. The headache intensified with her movement, but it was a small thing compared to the panic welling up inside her.

"Please tell me I'm still dreaming." She croaked.

"You're not, so get your butt moving." Ariel told her sternly.

"I can't. I need this to be a dream." Anna groaned. Mulan handed her a tshirt that she accepted with a nod of thanks before pulling it over her head.

"Why?" The dark-haired girl asked. "So you have a crush on your grad student friend. I think it's sweet."

"You two are no help whatsoever." She sighed, surrendering to the inevitable. She swung her feet down to the floor and got up, ignoring the extra jab of pain it produced from her headache. She was halfway to the door when Ariel stopped her.

"Whoah. Hold it. We're not letting you go out there like this." Her friend turned her towards the mirror. "One look at that bedhead, and you won't have to worry about that crush of yours, because Elsa will run screaming."

"Ha ha." Anna replied flatly, then looked at her reflection and winced. Ariel was right. There was bedhead, bad bedhead, and then there was Anna-bedhead, and this was definitely in the latter category. She gathered her comb and other supplies and set out to do battle with her unruly hair.

Once she'd emerged victorious, her stomach informed her that it wanted some attention. The resulting growl was loud enough to make Mulan laugh. "Right, I knew we were forgetting something."

"Oh, shut up." Anna pulled on some clean clothes and examined herself in the mirror again. She looked decent enough to get through breakfast. After that, all she had planned was some serious hiding and avoiding. Maybe some denial if she could fit it in her schedule.

Ariel still didn't let her pass. "Nope, sorry, try again. Let's go for something that doesn't look like a circus clown dressed you."

"I'm just getting a bagel from the break room." Anna protested. She was hungry!

"And if Elsa's there?" The other redhead asked her.

"I, uh, hide until she leaves?"

Ariel sighed, looking over Anna's shoulder to Mulan. "Help me out here."

"Anna, you can't just run away from this. Ariel's right, put on something nice just in case."

"But-"

"Now." Both other girls said at the same time.

"Fine. I'll change." She took off the offending garments and rummaged around in her closet until she found an outfit that met with Ariel's approval. "Happy now?"

"Better."

"Good, now I'm getting some food."

"Like I asked before, what if Elsa's there?" Ariel followed Anna down the hall.

"Hiding still sounds like a solid plan."

"You are the biggest wimp ever." Ariel shook her head. "No, what you're going to do in that case is say 'Good morning, Elsa'. Hiding just sends the wrong signals."

"I'm not ready for this!"

"Tough." Ariel prodded her into motion again. "Now, what's your plan after that? How are you going to tell her?"

"Uh..."

"Let me guess, you weren't going to say anything."

"Not really." Anna shrugged.

Ariel looked to Mulan for help. "She's hopeless."

"Yeah, you were right. We'll have to go with your idea." Mulan rested a hand on Anna's shoulder. "We're going to help you out. All you have to do is get Elsa to join us after dinner."

"Why?" Anna asked suspiciously.

"If we tell you, you won't do it." Mulan replied.

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll try."

"You will. Or we will AND we'll tell her you like her at the same time."

"You wouldn't!"

"Care to test us?" Ariel raised an eyebrow at her, and Anna paled. She knew the other redhead would do it, and do it in the most embarrassing way possible.

"Okay, I'll talk to her about it." Anna sighed. This was not going to end well, she was sure.

Fortunately for her, Elsa wasn't in the break room. Just in case, Anna grabbed her breakfast and dashed out as fast as she could, ignoring Mulan's look of disappointment. She gave her friends a tour of the site, and was relieved to find that Elsa wasn't in the library as expected. They were suitably impressed with Arendelle castle, especially the gallery room. She avoided showing them Joan, however. Last night was embarrassing enough, she didn't need to add to it by having to explain she talked to a painting from time to time.

When lunchtime finally rolled around, Mulan and Ariel headed back to Oaken's to meet up with Shang, leaving Anna with a reminder to bring Elsa by that evening, "or else." She watched her friends walk down the path until the trees swallowed their view. Great. Just great. Now she _had_ to talk to Elsa.

She found the blonde in the break room. Elsa was relaxing on the couch, a book in her lap. Anna swallowed. It was so not fair - even in her usual jeans and t-shirt, the sight of the blonde took her breath away. A strand of platinum hair had escaped her braid, hanging in front of her cheek. Her lips were slightly pursed as her eyes traced the lines of the page. Her shoes were off, sitting to one side on the floor, and her legs were folded under her.

It was no different that Elsa usually dressed, but now Anna _noticed_. She let her eyes drift across the blonde's body, drinking in the curves. She couldn't help herself. Now that she'd admitted her attraction, at least to herself, she had to look. And look she did. She hovered in the doorway, stuck between simply watching the beautiful blonde and the need to talk to her.

"Anna." Elsa looked up from her book, smiling at her. Butterflies filled her stomach and she gulped.

"Hi... Elsa, um... I need to ask... you look... I'm hungry!" Anna babbled. Those amazing blue eyes drew her gaze. She hurriedly stuffed a sandwich in her mouth before she said anything more.

Elsa raised an eyebrow at her, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards. "Are you okay?" That voice! God, that voice! Anna could listen to her all day.

"_Mmmmmphhh?"_ She nearly choked on the sandwich before nodding vigorously. Coughing, she dashed from the room before she could make it even more embarrassing.

The afternoon proceeded in a similar manner. She managed to trip on the rug in the library, sending a stack of books scattering across the floor in front of Elsa. Then she walked into a wall while they took a break, her eyes watching the blonde and not where she was going. She nearly stapled her hand to one set of paperwork because she was too busy observing Elsa sorting a pile of books. And finally, she slipped and fell on her butt when they were locking up the room, all because Elsa had leaned over and she'd caught a glimpse of the other girl's bra through the neck of her shirt.

"Anna, are you feeling alright?" Elsa offered her a hand up. Even with the gloves between them, Anna could feel the heat of the other girl's skin. "Is something bothering you?"

"Me? What? No, I'm fine! I'm better than fine! Why do you ask?"

"Well, if something's bothering you, you can always tell me, you know that, right?" The blonde turned towards the dorms.

"Elsa, wait. I need to ask..." She gulped. "I'm meeting my friends after dinner, and they said to inviteyouSowouldyouliketocome?"

Elsa stared at her, and she flushed. She'd rushed out the last bit too much. "I'd love to. Just stop by my room when it's time." Then a playful smirk found its way onto the blonde's face. "Should I get dressed up again?"

"No!" If her face was red before, it was a hair from exploding now. "No, don't get dressed up! You don't need to put on anything! Anything special, I mean! Not that I want you to go naked! I wasn't talking about you naked! Just wear clothes! Clothes are good!"

"Okay then, I'll meet you at Oaken's after dinner."

Anna settled for simply waving, not trusting herself to speak right then. At this rate, tonight was going to be a disaster.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, two days after Anna's capture _-

Princess Elsa crept after Eugene as they made their way through the woods. At first, she thought he was leading them to North Mountain, but they'd turned east fairly soon after entering the forest. They followed a small stream for a bit before turning south. It wasn't long after that Elsa admitted to herself that she was thoroughly lost.

The sun was touching the horizon when they finally slowed. Elsa sat on a tree stump, taking the opportunity to study the clearing they'd arrived at. It felt old, as if people had not visited in a long time. The cliffs bordering one side were covered in a lush growth of moss that was thickest where a trickle of water ran down to connect to a small stream. Numerous round rocks dotted the floor of the clearing.

"We're here." Eugene told her. "Let me wake everyone up."

"No one is here." Elsa pointed out, but he wasn't listening. He walked up to one of the larger rocks sitting in the middle of the clearing and gently rapped on it.

"Hey, Pabbie, wake up! Bulda? Guys, come on!"

Elsa stared. Obviously the stress of the situation had made him snap. "Ohhhh-kayyyy, Eugene, I know it's been tough recently, but you're acting weirder than usual."

"He's always been a bit weird." A gravelly voice agreed.

Elsa jumped, spinning around to look for whoever had spoken. "Eugene! Someone's here!"

"Yeah, that's why I brought us here. We need to get some help." He walked over to where she stood and frowned down at the rock near her. "Stop scaring her, Bulda."

The rock... _unfolded_... or so it seemed. It opened until a small stone woman stood there in front of them. All around the clearing, more of the rocks also shifted. Soon enough, Elsa found herself surrounded by rock people. "Who- What-?"

"It's so good to see you guys." Eugene smiled at an older-looking rock-person. "We're in big trouble."

"The rocks are talking." Elsa stared blankly. "The rocks are talking."

"Not rocks, we're trolls!" The rock woman - _troll_, Elsa corrected herself scolded her. "You of all people should be open to new possibilities, Elsa of Aurica."

"You... You know me?" The rocks - trolls - were talking to her. This had to be what going crazy felt like.

"We've watched you for a while, and Eugene here has told us a lot about you." Bulda smiled at her.

"How, um, how does he know you?" Elsa asked, trying to grasp some semblance of control.

"We've been watching over him most of his life, ever since his parents died." The troll looked over at the boy fondly. "We're so happy he found Rapunzel. He's a bit of a fixer-upper, but they're good for each other."

"Why hasn't he mentioned you before?"

"Most people have a hard time accepting things that are different." Bulda gave her a wry glance and Elsa blushed. "I'm sure you can relate to that."

"He said you could help us?" Elsa asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure what he expects us to do. We're more advice and such. Magic, love, that kind of thing." The troll looked over at Elsa. "We like to think we're love experts, but from what we've heard about you, you're doing just fine in that area."

Elsa gulped, her face heating even more. "Well..."

"Pabbie can tell you more." Bulda kept going, ignoring her embarrassment. "He's the best at things magical. He'll probably insist on doing a full rune reading for you."

"Thank you, Bulda." Maybe she was going crazy, but any help was better than none.

* * *

\- _Present day_ -

Anna knocked on the door to Mulan's room. It was still early, but she'd been far too nervous to eat. That in itself was probably a huge sign that she so wasn't ready for this. She skipped dinner in favor of finding out what Mulan and Ariel planned for tonight. Somehow, she just knew there was no way they would let her just hide, not after her outburst last night.

"Anna, you're early." Mulan greeted her. The dark-haired girl looked past her. "Where's Elsa? You agreed to bring her."

"She said she'll be here. I wanted to talk to you two before that." Anna barged into the room, shooting Ariel a glare that didn't manage to dent the other girl's smirk at all. "I need to know what you're planning for tonight."

"Don't you mean you _want_ to know?" Mulan asked.

"No, after how today's gone, I think I need to." Anna corrected her. "Otherwise, tonight's going to be bad."

"What happened?" Ariel asked, then held up a hand before Anna could reply. "No, let me guess. You went total derp around her all afternoon, right?"

Anna flopped herself onto one of the beds, sighing. "You have no idea."

"Maybe you'll luck out and she'll think it's cute." Mulan smiled.

"At this point, I'm just glad I didn't hurt myself or her." Anna closed her eyes. "Anyway, I really need something, guys. Some hint. Cause otherwise..."

"Oh, we're not planning anything big." Ariel's grin sent a shiver of worry through her. "All we want to do is help you out a bit."

"Please don't." Anna tried to imagine what they might do to 'help' her. Mulan wouldn't suggest anything too outrageous, but Ariel... She remembered some of the things the fiery redhead had done to help out Mulan and Shang. Maybe she'd luck out and Elsa would get sick and have to stay home. _Then I could take care of her, and when she's feeling better... No! So not the time for thinking stuff like this!_

"Sorry, but if we leave it to you, you won't make any progress." Mulan told her. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Ariel's right for once."

"Hey!"

"What? I said you were right." The dark haired girl turned to Anna. "We want to see how Elsa really feels about you. That's why we needed to make sure you invited her to our little party tonight."

"So your plan is to try to get her drunk and ask her stuff?" Anna probably should have expected this. "If I'd known..."

"...You wouldn't have asked her." Ariel finished for her. "That's why we didn't tell you."

"I can still warn her! I'll..." A knock at the door cut her off and she felt her stomach sink. Elsa was here. Elsa was here! Now! She needed to get away. She could probably make it out the window if she hurried. Or she could hide in the closet. It would only be for a few hours. That's all.

While Anna was busy panicking, Mulan opened the door. "Hi, Elsa! Glad you could make it!"

"Hello, Mulan. Thank you for the invitation." The blonde greeted her friends, then turned her gaze on Anna. When those blue orbs made contact with her own, she felt the room lurch. Her mouth swept up into a silly smile, and she unconsciously turned towards the taller girl. "Hello, Anna." Yeah, she was so done. Her brain turned to mush just hearing Elsa say her name.

"Elsa, you... Clothes... dinner..." In her daze, she missed Ariel rolling her eyes before the fiery redhead whapped her on the arm. Okay, maybe Ariel and Mulan had a point. She needed to do something, because she wasn't sure how long she could survive being a total spaz like this.

"Shang should be back in a bit with the stuff, but come in, get comfy." Mulan waved the blonde into the room.

"Anna didn't tell me what you guys had in mind for tonight. I'm sorry I didn't bring anything." Elsa apologized.

"Oh, it's fine. We just wanted to get to know you a bit better. And to get Anna to loosen up and have a little fun." Ariel smiled at the blonde, but Anna knew enough to read the mischief lurking behind her expression. She glared at her friend, but the other redhead only met it with an innocent look.

Mulan and Ariel took turns asking Elsa about her studies here, what she liked to do in her free time, other expected questions. They never once mentioned Anna's crush, not even to hint at it. It made Anna even more anxious than before. What did the other two have planned for her? Elsa answered them with her usual politeness, though only Anna picked up the hints of tension when she avoided direct answers about her past.

Her two friends didn't force her to participate, either. They let her sit quietly while she tried to get a handle on her frazzled emotions. So Anna sat, her attention fully on Elsa. Her eyes followed every small movement. She let the blonde's musical voice flow over her. She drank in the soft scent that was uniquely Elsa, like a cool breeze on a spring day. How someone could be so sexy in just a shirt and jeans was beyond her, but Elsa pulled it off.

"Anna..." Mulan hissed at her, tapping her arm while Ariel was chatting with Elsa.

"Yes? What?" Anna groaned. "God, I spaced out again, didn't I?"

Mulan nodded, pointing to Anna's face. "You have a bit of drool..." She waited while Anna got herself together. "You really have it bad, don't you?"

"Yes." Anna admitted softly. _I can't think when she's around. I want... I don't know _what_ I want, and that's part of the problem._

Her friend patted her arm sympathetically. "I know you're mad at us right now, but we honestly want to help you. We know you like her - honestly, I kind of suspected for a while now. How you talk about her when you call or in your emails. If she makes you happy, then good."

"So you're not weirded out that she's, y'know... a girl?" Anna asked her.

"Of course not." Mulan told her. "Anna, I'll support you with anyone you want to date, except Gaston. I never got what you saw in him in the first place."

"Looking back, neither do I." A hysterical giggle escaped her lips.

"Why would you think I wouldn't be comfortable with it?"

"Because I'm still not." Anna whispered shamefully.

"Wait, what?" Mulan stared at her. "You're gonna have to explain this one."

"I'm scared! I, uh, I don't know what to do. I don't know what I want to do. And I'm scared that I'll do something wrong and screw things up with her." Anna admitted.

"I'm pretty sure that she won't mind, whatever ends up happening." The dark haired girl tried to reassure her friend. "Look, just take it slow, okay? Go with what feels right to you."

"You're loving this, aren't you?"

"Little bit." Mulan grinned. "Anna, I want you to be happy, and if Elsa makes you happy, then I'll do everything I can to help you with her."

"Thank you." Anna was touched by her friend's honesty. Before she could say anything more, Shang opened the door, carrying several bags. From the way Ariel's eyes lit up, Anna could guess what was in them. A sinking sensation filled her. Surely Ariel wouldn't... Mentally, she cursed herself. Of course Ariel would. _Just don't drink too much. No repeats of last night. Especially since Elsa is here_.

Shang had indeed bought a wide variety of drinks from the local store. Ariel helped him sort everything out, and soon enough, the five of them were in a rough circle. Anna didn't miss the fiery redhead's smirk when she sat Elsa next to her. She gulped, praying that she didn't spaz out again.

Her resolve was tested when she accidentally brushed the blonde's knee with her hand. Even through her jeans, she could feel the soft heat of Elsa's body. Her heart sped up into overdrive. What to do? If she yanked her hand away, she'd either insult Elsa or give herself away. And if she left it there, breathing would rapidly become a problem. Not to mention, it would also look too forward for her. _Maybe Ariel is right. I am the biggest wimp ever. Worrying over bumping her knee! Sad, Frostad, really sad_.

The other redhead caught the way her body tensed and how her indecision paralyzed her. Ariel sighed and Anna knew her friend was about to do something. And she hated how a part of her really wanted nothing more than to simply let it happen and see what resulted. Ariel smiled at her. "How about a game?"

_I hate you so much right now._ Anna was all too familiar with some of the other girl's 'games'. Before she could object, Mulan and Shang agreed. Elsa glanced at her and when she didn't say anything, the blonde shrugged her acceptance. With everyone else agreed, Anna nodded, defeated.

"Never have I ever?" Ariel waited for Mulan and Shang to nod, then looked over to Anna, who hurried to add her own acceptance. Anna felt a surge of relief - for once her utter lack of experience with, well, everything would come in handy. Ariel noticed Elsa's confused expression and reassured the blonde. "Don't worry, it's easy. You'll pick it up fast. For example..." Ariel turned an evil grin on Anna. "I've never eaten more than a pound of chocolate in one day."

Anna cursed under her breath, but took the drink anyway. _So that's how it's going to be!_ Ariel smirked as she watched Anna drink.

Shang was next, and started with his usual. "I've never kissed a guy." All four girls drank.

"You really need to get some variety, Shang." Mulan glared at her boyfriend. "I've never kissed another girl." Only she and Anna refrained from drinking, though Anna wondered why Elsa was frowning at her so much. _Oh crap, what if she thinks I'm not interested?_ Anna hastily raised her cup to her lips and Elsa relaxed.

It was her turn. "I've never dated two different people at the same time." She took satisfaction watching Ariel alone of the group drink.

Elsa sat for a moment, thinking of a 'never'. "I've never quit watching a horror movie halfway through." _Traitor!_ Anna thought as she was once again the only one to drink. Elsa turned to face her and whispered to her. "Sorry, I guess I'm not good at this, I couldn't think of anything else."

She hadn't been quiet enough. Ariel, still grinning at Anna, spoke up. "It's part of the game, Elsa. I've never had sex on an airplane." This time it was Shang and Mulan's turn to glare at the other redhead as they drank. Ariel raised an eyebrow. "Oh come on. That one was practically a freebie."

"It's on." Mulan promised darkly.

* * *

\- _Later _-

Elsa watched, fascinated, as Mulan and Ariel kept going back and forth. Shang had passed out about half an hour ago, while Anna surrendered, claiming she was still not fully recovered from last night. Elsa had been quietly forgotten as the other two girls continued the game. She was glad for the reprieve, as she was feeling decidedly tipsy at the moment.

"Hhhhhmmmmm." Anna hummed happily from beside her. The redhead had taken more drinks than she had, as her friends knew her better and were able to come up with things to get her drinking. Anna wasn't looking as drunk as the night Elsa had picked up her and Kristoff, but she was on the way there.

"Anna, drink some water." Elsa passed her the glass she'd filled from the sink.

"Don' wanna..." Anna slurred. She slumped against Elsa with a contented sigh. "You're comfy..."

"No more, I need to..." Ariel got up, making a dash for the bathroom. She barely made it in time, slamming the door shut behind herself.

Mulan staggered over from where she'd been sitting across from Ariel. Despite the fact that Elsa had quit the game earlier and taken fewer drinks while playing in the first place, the dark haired girl looked to be in better shape than her at the moment. "She's drooling on you."

It took Elsa a moment to figure out what the other girl was talking about. Then she realized Anna's head was now resting on her shoulder. The redhead was either asleep or almost. Elsa felt Anna's warm breath against her neck. She slipped an arm around Anna's waist, shifting her a bit so she could rest easier. Anna felt so good there, all soft and warm and...

_'Click.'_ Mulan lowered her phone, grinning mischeviously. "You two look so cute together."

"Delete that!" Elsa tried to reach out and grab it, but Anna had her pinned pretty solidly.

"No way. Anna is going to freak when she sees it. I can't wait." Mulan put the phone away, out of Elsa's reach. "I don't see why you'd mind. You like her, right?"

"Yes." She might have denied it in other circumstances, but she'd had more to drink than usual, and it was true, after all. She idly played with the end of one of Anna's braids.

"Good." The dark haired girl yawned. She crawled onto the bed next to Shang. " 'm gonna sleep now, i thin'..."

_Good? That's it!?_ "That's it? Mulan! What about Anna?" No reply. "Does she...?" It was too late. Anna's friend had already passed out.

"Now what?" Elsa asked herself. Shang and Mulan were passed out on one of the beds, and she could hear the shower going in the bathroom, letting her know Ariel would be in there a while. And while Anna might be deliciously soft, she was also sitting on Elsa's foot, and the pins and needles sensation getting a bit too strong. She eyed the other bed - she needed Anna off her foot. "Come on, Anna, I need you to move."

Her only reply was a gentle snore from the redhead. Elsa sighed. She was going to have to do this the hard way. Standing up was difficult. Not only did her foot make its displeasure known, but Anna was still draped over her, and added to her tipsiness, it made the whole endeavour awkward. "God, you're heavy." She told the sleeping girl.

She dropped Anna on the bed as gently as she could, before stumbling to the other side. Sleep sounded better and better right about now. She flopped down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes had just drifted closed when a warm arm draped itself across her chest and Anna's face buried itself in her neck. Not caring right then if it sent the wrong signals or anything, Elsa slid her own arm under Anna, pulling the girl closer against her body. As the redhead cuddled up to her, she let sleep take her...

* * *

Anna wasn't sure what time it was when she woke up, only that the sun had to be fairly high in the window from the way it was stabbing down onto her face. Her eyes were barely open, little more than slits, and all she wanted was to go back to sleep. The bed felt sooooo good right now. She groaned, closed her eyes, and cuddled against her pillow. The sweet, cool scent of spring caressed her nose as she buried her face against it, and the soft warmth of it made Anna smile. Her hand gently traced the border of cloth and skin before resting on a softer part...

_Skin?_

_Wait, what!?_ Anna's eyes snapped open at the same moment that the rest of her locked up in panic. She was cuddled up against Elsa! Her head was buried against the blonde's shoulder, errant strands of platinum hair tickling her face. One of Elsa's arms was under her, warm and supporting and oh so dangerous right now. She could feel the gentle rise and fall of the blonde's chest as she slept.

_Ohgodohgodohgodohgod!_ Even worse for coherent thought, one of her legs was hooked over Elsa's. And to cap off the disaster, her hand had not only found its way under Elsa's shirt, but was currently cupping the other girl's breast. _What do I do!? If I move it, it could wake her up. But if I don't move it and she wakes up anyway, I'll look like a giant perv. Wait... Maybe I can just pretend to still be asleep! Then I can still keep holding her! I'm a genius!_

_I like holding her._ Anna snuggled closer against the blonde. It probably was her stupidest plan ever, but you can't make an omelet out of spilled milk or whatever, she told herself. She inhaled, breathing deep the sweet scent of Elsa. _She smells so good_. She could feel the other girl's ribs pressing lightly against her forearm. Her skin on Elsa's. She closed her eyes. She was so close to Elsa, she could hear the soft sound of her breathing. Her head tilted, allowing her face to get closer to the blonde's skin.

Anna was no longer consciously thinking. She'd drifted to a state of simply enjoying. At this point, whatever happened, happened. Her lips brushed the base of Elsa's neck and before she could stop herself, she planted a gentle kiss on the warm skin. _Oh yeah..._ Her leg shifted, sliding even further between Elsa's. The other girl moaned softly, sending a shiver of excitement running through Anna.

It was only when Elsa's hand gripped her shoulder tighter that Anna quickly pretended to sleep again. She could feel the change in the blonde's breathing and knew she was close to waking. Her chest tightened in anticipation and more than a little panic as the blonde shifted. _Now what?_

* * *

_Now what?_ Elsa drifted back to consciousness slowly, well aware of the warm body cuddled against her. God, was she aware! Not only had Anna not moved away from her during the night, but the redhead was even closer! Her leg was trapped by one of the other girl's, and Anna's face was buried in her neck, her breath teasing the skin there. And her arm...

Elsa felt the warm length of skin against hers under her shirt, like a blazing trail. It was a pleasing weight on her. Somehow, during the night, Anna's hand had slipped under the shirt and, well, slid upwards. That hand now rested on her breast - over the bra, thankfully for her too-fragile-at-the-moment self control - and Elsa had no idea what to do about it. She really didn't want to move, liking the contact far too much. It was clear Anna hadn't intended to do it, but at the same time, part of her wanted it. And Elsa wanted it too. Even the (very limited) exploring she'd done with Belle had never prepared her for anything like this!

"Anna." She tried shaking the girl with her other arm. "Anna, wake up."

The redhead's eyes fluttered open, and Elsa gulped as she found herself trapped in their emerald gaze. She felt the other girls breathing on her face, as shallow as her own. What should she say? Good morning? Get your hand off my boob? Don't you dare move that hand? Can I kiss you?

"Can I kiss you?" Anna's voice was barely a whisper.

_Did she just say...?'_

_Shut up and KISS HER, idiot!_

Before she could let her fears and insecurities talk herself out of it, Elsa leaned in, her lips brushing tentatively against Anna's. It took only a moment before Anna joined in the kiss, her mouth moving against Elsa's. When she noticed the other girl wasn't pulling away - quite the opposite, in fact - she pressed in more, wanting to deepen the kiss.

Anna clearly wanted the same thing. The redhead's tongue gently lapped at Elsa's lips, seeking access. Her lips parted and Anna's tongue darted in. Their tongues met, and Elsa moaned into the other girl's mouth. A second moan escaped her as Anna's hand tightened involuntarily on her breast. Her fingers dug into Anna's shoulder and she pulled the redhead on top of her more. Anna shifted, molding her body against Elsa's, her leg sliding even further between the blonde's.

Elsa's nipples were hard, so hard she was sure Anna could feel it through the thin fabric of her bra. The redhead's subtle movements combined with the heat of the kiss were driving her wild. Her other hand drifted down, finding the lower edge of Anna's shirt. Elsa's desire-addled brain wanted to do a little exploration of her own.

It might have been too much, too soon. When she started to lift the shirt, Anna stiffened, the tension in her body evident. Reluctantly, Elsa let the redhead pull back, breaking off the kiss. Anna hovered over Elsa, staring down at her, their eyes locked together. Elsa felt her heart hammering in her chest, her breathing ragged. Anna's eyes were as wide as her own must be, and she could see the red tinting the other girl's cheeks. It was one of the hardest things Elsa had ever done, resisting the urge to reach up to grab Anna and continue the kiss.

"Sorry." She managed to say, once her thoughts reassembled themselves a bit. She had pushed things too much, clearly.

"It's okay." Anna mumbled, sliding clumsily off Elsa. "I was the one who asked."

"Anna-" Elsa started to ask.

"Uhhhhhhnnnnn..." Ariel groaned as she got up from the couch where she'd been sleeping. Anna paled and practically flew off Elsa, barely avoiding tangling her hand in the blonde's shirt. The other redhead ignored them, her attention focused on the bathroom. "I feel like shit."

Elsa held still, waiting for the other girl to leave. When Ariel shut the bathroom door, she let out a sigh of relief, Anna echoing her. "We just dodged a huge bullet." The redhead carefully slipped off the bed. "Um, Elsa..."

"Yes?" She held her breath.

"Can... I have some time?" Anna looked away from her.

"Time?" Elsa repeated, trying not to let her disappointment show.

"Yeah." Anna smoothed the worst of the wrinkles out of her clothes. She paused at the desk, scribbling down a hasty note. "I'm... I'll see you back at home?"

"Okay." _What did I do wrong?_

* * *

_\- 250 years ago, three days after Anna's capture _-

Princess Elsa rather liked the trolls. They were certainly weird, but also pretty cute in their own way. They really liked the story of her first kiss with Anna, and she'd been forced to repeat it several times today already. Then there was the way they clearly loved Eugene. They'd taken the boy in after his parents were killed by bandits, and looked after him until he was accepted into service at the palace.

All in all, for the first time in days, Elsa had managed to get some real sleep. She still worried over Anna's situation, but having a plan, having _help_, did wonders for her nerves. She felt like she finally had some control over what was going on.

She sat around a small fire Eugene had kindled, helping him cook a rabbit he'd managed to catch. It was nothing like the usual palace fare, but after two days of bread and cheese, the aroma wafting off it had her drooling in anticipation. She eagerly accepted her portion, tearing into it as soon as it was cool enough to eat.

After lunch, it was time to work on the details. Eugene sketched out a hasty map in the dirt. "I took a look from the cliff this afternoon. It's hard to tell from here, but it looks like the Church guards still control the key areas of the castle. There wasn't much traffic on the roads, only a few wagons, but several mounted parties were out. I can't say for sure, but I'd bet they're looking for you."

Elsa tried not to let the news get her down. "Is there any way we can get past them and sneak Anna and Rapunzel out?" She looked over at the trolls. "Can they help with that, maybe?"

"Our strengths don't lie in that direction, Elsa." Pabbie spoke up beside them. "We do have an idea, though. Something we can help you with."

"Oh?"

"Yes. The majority of the trouble is because they named you the Ice Queen, correct?" The troll tapped his cane on the ground. "That's why the Church is here in such numbers."

"Yes. I don't know how Hans found out, but he started rumors about me. He's probably why the Church sent so many troops." Elsa frowned. "I guess I got careless."

"You need to make that your strength." Pabbie told her.

"Wait, what?" Elsa didn't understand. "This trouble is because of my ice magic, how will those rumors help me?"

"This Hans only succeeded because the Church is afraid of you. Use that fear." The troll smiled at her. "Hunting a princess accused of witchcraft is one thing. But imagine how scared they'll be when they have to face the wrath of the Ice Queen!"

"How would I do that?" Elsa asked him. The idea had possibilities. If they could find a way to scare off even some of the Church troops, she and Eugene could sneak in and rescue their girlfriends.

"We'll help you. We might not be able to fight, but we know magic, and we can help you with yours."

"How?"

"We're going to help you build a palace worthy of the Ice Queen."

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past - the rescue attempt! Meanwhile in the present, Elsa and Anna deal with the aftermath of the kiss._

* * *

_A/N: This one was a lot of build up for me. I've had the 'morning after the party' scene in mind for a while, but I wanted to get there right. Poor Anna really is trying, she's just having to figure everything out on her own, even if it's messing with Elsa a bit._

_I didn't get as much done with the past as I intended for this chapter, but Modern Anna and Elsa really needed some time. Some important fluff needed to happen, after all!_

_As always, a big thank you to everyone for your reads / favs / reviews! You guys are awesome!_


	15. Chapter 15 - Taking a Chance

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 15 - Taking a Chance

* * *

_\- Present day_ -

Anna slumped across the table from Ariel, her normally comforting hot chocolate all but ignored. It was just her and her friend for the afternoon, as Mulan and Shang had decided to stay back at the inn for some 'quality time'. Anna had waited a whole twenty minutes before doubling back to Oaken's, needing to talk with her friends, despite how scared she was to tell them what had happened.

She'd found Ariel already at the table in the lounge area of the inn. The fiery redhead was having coffee, trying to recover from the last bits of the previous night. She glared miserably at Anna, no doubt upset that her friend was doing so much better than she was.

So now the two of them had their drinks and were just relaxing, Ariel with her coffee and Anna with her hot chocolate. Neither of them was that hungry, so they'd opted to skip lunch, figuring they could just have a larger dinner that night.

"Alright, talk." Ariel commanded grumpily. "Last night before I crashed on the couch, I saw you all cuddly with your girl, but today you look like someone stole all the chocolate and ran over your puppy on the way out. So what the hell happened?"

"I messed up. Again." Anna sighed as she toyed with her mug.

"Figured. What went wrong?" The other girl waved for a refill on her coffee.

"Well... I woke up and she was, um, holding me." Anna couldn't mention where _her_ hand had been without dying of embarrassment.

"Still not seeing how that's a bad thing."

"I, uh, sorta asked her to..." Her voice trailed to a whisper and her face flushed. "...kiss me."

"Nice! I was sure 'Lan and I would have to tie you two together or something before you'd do it." Ariel approved. "Since she didn't run out of the room, I'm still not seeing the bad here."

"I panicked, okay?" Anna let out a frustrated breath. "She was kissing me and, well... uh... she... her hand, um, wandered a bit and I froze up." She glared at her friend. "Don't say it, I know I'm pathetic."

"You didn't like it?"

"Kind of the opposite." Anna's blush grew deeper. "I wanted her to keep going."

"So why didn't you?" Ariel grinned at her obvious embarrassment. "I'm sure you would have liked it."

"That's the thing. You know that's pretty much as far as I've ever gotten." It was killing her to even have this conversation, but she needed advice, damn it! "I, well, I'm not sure what to do next."

"That's simple, what do you want to do?" Ariel laughed. "Anna, it's not rocket science. Just take it slow and be honest with her, and it'll be fine. It'll certainly work better than freaking out and running." She noted her friend's distress. "Look, try this. Ask her on a date. Keep it small, something you're comfortable with. Show her that you want to give it a chance."

"I guess I can do that." Anna conceded. "What should we do on the date?"

"Oh no. That's for you to figure out." The other redhead told her. "She's your potential girlfriend, so you think of something."

"And, um, about... other things?"

"Well, if you can't say it, you're not ready to do it." Ariel teased her. "Seriously though, that one is completely between you two. Trust me, you'll have fun figuring it out."

"But what if I, um, do it wrong?" Anna tried to explain her fears. "What if she doesn't like it? I mean, what am I supposed to to?"

"Do you even realize how ridiculous this conversation is?"

"Sorry." Anna groaned. "I'm worried, okay? I really like her and I don't want to mess this up and, well, I'm me, so of course I'm going to, because that's what I do..."

"Anna... Have you tried telling her any of this?"

"Uh... I sorta asked her to..." She sqoke quietly, until her voice fell to a mumble. "...Leave me alone for a while..."

"Ohhhkaaayyyy... Well, it's not that bad. I mean, you didn't dump your hot chocolate on her or anything, right?" Ariel raised an eyebrow. "Though I guess that could work as an icebreaker."

"This is going to be a disaster, isn't it?"

"Yep."

"A big one."

"Epic." Ariel smiled sympathetically. "Now, go, find Elsa and ask her out. You can't screw it up until you get started." The other redhead headed back to her room, leaving Anna to ponder the logic of that statement.

* * *

-_ 250 years ago_ -

Princess Anna sat on the bed, staring pensively at the shuttered window, wishing she could see the Ice Palace again. Seeing it, knowing that Elsa had survived and escaped, filled her with hope. Even her return to her imprisonment in her rooms did nothing to dampen that hope. Elsa was alive! Alive! Anna was so happy, she could almost dance.

The biggest point of worry was that the bishop was marshalling the Church troops to 'deal with her'. Already, several squads had been sent out from the castle to perform patrols near the North Mountain. She knew that she had to do something to help her lover. How she was going to accomplish that while she was trapped here, she wasn't sure.

She was also concerned for her parents. She knew they were visiting somewhere outside the kingdom, but no one would tell her any more than that. She wished they'd return, so they could get rid of Hans and the Church. Anna knew that once she told them the truth about him and what he was trying to do, they would never stand for it.

Dinner was the same as ever, a silent servant leaving a tray on the table by the door, while Anna herself was watched by the cold eyes of the Church guards. She ate mechanically, her mind occupied with attempting to come up with an escape plan. She finished the food, knocking on the door to signal that she was done before stepping back to the other side of the room. She was used to the routine by now.

Something was different this time, however. The two guards remained in the room after the servant left. Anna hadn't noticed until the door closed. The taller guard stood by the door, keeping an eye on it, while the shorter one advanced on Anna. She gulped. They wouldn't-

"Stay back! Prince Hans will be displeased if I am harmed!" She hated having to lie like this, but even a small protection was better than nothing.

The shorter guard didn't listen, but kept advancing. He put out his arm, grabbing Anna's shoulder. She shrank back, terrified. The guard reached up, pulling off his helmet -

* * *

Princess Elsa kissed Anna, tossing the stolen helmet to one side. She held the shorter girl in her arms, unable to get enough of Anna's prescence. She regretted scaring the redhead, but seeing her, knowing that she was safe, after five days of worry and anxiety had driven the words from her. So she tried to let the other girl know how much she'd been missed.

"I was so scared. I didn't know what had happened to you." She traced a finger along Anna's jaw, needing the contact more than anything.

"You came for me." Anna breathed.

"Always." Elsa promised her. She hugged her, drinking in her scent. "I love you, Anna."

"I love you too, Elsa. So much." Anna grabbed the back of the taller girl's head, dragging her down for a savage kiss.

When the shorter girl finally released her, she retrieved her helmet, putting it back on her head. "We're going to go get Rapunzel now. Try to stay close by out of sight." Anna nodded, reluctantly releasing Elsa's hand. She tried to keep at a distance, as Elsa had requested, but her resolve only lasted minutes. She found herself barely a pace behind the taller girl.

They reached a corner, and Elsa whispered to her. "Stay back while we deal with the guards." Anna gulped as they rounded the corner, spotting two more Church guards standing in front of the door to Rapunzel's chambers.

"What is she doing out of her room?" One of the guards demanded.

"Orders." Eugene's voice sounded from the helmet of the other guard escorting her.

"I don't recall any such orders!" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And I don't recognize you! Identi-"

A band of ice surrounded his jaw, gagging him. Another glow of Elsa's hands froze his feet to the floor. The second guard stared at her, his body shaking in fear. A final gesture from Elsa and he joined his companion on the floor, ice binding him as well.

Eugene efficiently frisked them, finding the key for Rapunzel's door. He opened the door, then with a yelp staggered back as a frying pan connected with his head. "What the hell, Punz! We're trying to rescue you!"

"Eugene?!" The brunette gasped, dropping the frying pan so she could embrace her boyfriend. "How?" She didn't give him a chance to answer, kissing him passionately.

When they finally stepped apart, he handed her the frying pan back. "We should hurry, we need to get out of here while it's still dark out."

"You have somewhere safe we can go?" Anna asked.

"My palace." Elsa grinned.

"Palace?" Rapunzel sounded skeptical.

"You'll see." Elsa reached out, linking her fingers with Anna's. She never wanted to be apart from the redhead again. Five days without her presence had been torture. Like being without the sun.

Rapunzel walked up front with Eugene while Elsa and Anna brought up the rear. She knew walking like this would increase the risk of someone else seeing through their disguise, but she couldn't help it. She needed Anna.

They made it to the western wall, where Elsa used her magic to conjure stairs for them. Once again, they found themselves on a piece of ice on the bay, however this time they were heading away from the castle. The trip back to land was tame, darkness easily cloaking their escape. After Elsa dismissed the ice block, they took a few minutes to rest and get their bearings, the four of them recovering from the rush of escaping.

Eugene led them down the path towards the troll clearing. "We'll go to the Ice Palace tomorrow, when the sun's up. I don't want to chance the mountain in darkness."

"What is this Ice Palace?" Rapunzel demanded.

"Wait and see." She told the brunette. "It'll be easier to show you." Not to mention, they still needed to introduce the two girls to the trolls. She squeezed Anna's hand. It was going to be an eventful day tomorrow.

"I think this is a good place to bed down for the night." Eugene brought out their bedrolls. "No fire, though, we can't risk the light. We'll be at the clearing tomorrow."

"Good idea." Elsa still felt a bit tired. She'd had a long day already, and added to the stress she'd been feeling, it left her feeling worn out. She smiled when Anna crawled under the blankets with her. She kissed the redhead as the other girl snuggled up against her. She had Anna back. Looking into her eyes, she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too." Anna replied. Elsa smiled as they drifted off to sleep.

Together.

* * *

\- _Present day_ -

Anna stood in front of Elsa's door, gathering her courage. She glanced down the hall, to where Ariel waited at the corner. The other redhead gave her a thumbs up. She could do this. Just knock on the door, apologize, and ask Elsa out. Simple. And with her friend backing her, she couldn't chicken out now.

She gulped, raising her hand. Just knock. That was it. Knock. Anna could do that. Even she couldn't mess that up, right? Taking a deep breath, she knocked, a nervous staccato. This was it. She was committed.

The door opened a crack. One of Elsa's piercing blue eyes peeked out. The blonde stared at her warily. "Anna." She greeted the redhead. Her voice carried none of its usual music, coming out flat and hurt instead.

"Hi, Elsa." Her smile was a small, weak thing. "Um, I... I need... earlier, I... Sorry." Well, she hadn't thrown up or spilled anything on the other girl, so it was going better than expected, at least.

"It's okay." The door opened a bit further, though Elsa still blocked it.

They stood there like that for a while, Anna unsure what to say next and Elsa unwilling to volunteer anything. Okay, so she'd accomplished steps one and two, even if the apology had been really pathetic. She just needed to do step three, then she could go back to her room and hide. _Come on, Frostad, you can do this!_

The silence hung around long enough to get really uncomfortable when Elsa started to close the door. "Good night, Anna."

Anna had no time to think, she simply thrust her arm out, holding the door open. "Wait, Elsa, I... Iwantedtoknowifyouwanttogooutsometime."

The blonde stared at her, confused. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

Aaaannnnddd now things were going as she expected. "I... you and me... I want..." _Okay Anna, let's try some other words in there, might help you out here._ "Date!" She blurted. _Good, now let's try it all together._ "Would... you be interested in a date? With me?"

Elsa stepped back, opening the door all the way, the invitation clear. The blonde didn't say anything, merely arching one of those gorgeous platinum eyebrows as she waited for Anna to make a move. She leaned back against her desk, her arms crossed as she watched the redhead hesitate in the doorway.

Anna cautiously walked in, stopping only a couple steps inside the room. Elsa's lips twitched up a little, but the smile didn't settle on her face. She waved towards the bed and Anna sat. Looking around the room, she saw that Elsa had decorated it far more than she had. Several pictures of her and Kristoff and other friends sat on the dresser, a few posters on the walls. A few books were scattered on the desk and the table. Laundry rested in a messy pile to one side of the closet, and Anna found it oddly comforting. Elsa's room felt lived-in.

"So... would you?" She asked at last.

"You're not planning on throwing me out halfway through?" The blonde replied. "Or spilling anything on me?"

"I want this, Elsa." She blushed. "As for the spilling thing, you know me, you know I can't promise that."

The smile she'd wanted finally appeared. "That's a good point." She smirked. "Let me think about it..."

"Elsaaaaaa..."

"Yes."

"Are you going to answer me?" Anna begged.

"I just did." A soft giggle.

Anna blinked, thinking a moment. _Oh!_ Relief flowed through her, followed rapidly by a giddy elation. She smiled over at Elsa. "Okay then."

Elsa waited expectantly. Anna watched her for a minute, confused. _Okay, I knocked, check. Apologized, check. Asked her out, check. What is she waiting for?_ That question was answered soon enough by the blonde. "So, about our date..."

_Oops. I can't believe I forgot to plan that part._ Anna's mind raced. "It's, um, a surprise. You'll find out tomorrow." _Oh crap! I said 'tomorrow'. Now I have to have something ready for tomorrow!_

That elegant eyebrow rose again. "You don't have anything planned yet, do you?"

"I totally do! I have plans, I just can't tell you, or it won't be a surprise!" _Lucky guess! She can't be reading my mind._ "Do you really think I wouldn't have thought this through?" A giggle from the other girl. "I have something in mind! You'll see! It'll be great!" _Ugh, now not only do I have to find something in less than a day, it has to be something she'll really like._

"Okay then." Elsa smiled warmly at her. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Okay." That smile! Anna felt her brain turning to mush when Elsa smiled at her.

Again, silence settled between them, but this time it didn't feel as weird. Elsa was smiling at her, and Anna knew she probably had a dopey grin on her own face. The blonde cleared her throat after a while. "I'll see you tomorrow, Anna." Her smile turned into a devilish smirk. "Unless you want to stick around while I shower?"

"...guh..." Anna's mouth hung open as her brain failed her. _Elsa... shower... naked... naked Elsa... shower Elsa... _That's it. She didn't have to worry about tomorrow. Her face was going to explode from all the blood flowing to it right now.

Elsa gently prodded Anna towards the doorway, the redhead's mind still consumed by thoughts of Elsa in the shower. She barely noticed until the blonde started to close the door behind her. "Goodnight, Anna. See you tomorrow."

Ariel intercepted her as she stumbled down the hallway. "I'm guessing it went well?"

"No, I'm doomed!" Anna groaned.

"She said no?"

"She said yes."

"Then why...?" Ariel looked confused.

"Because I still have no idea what we're going to do for our date! And I panicked and said 'tomorrow'." Anna explained. "So now I have less than a day to come up with something."

"I told you to think of something before you asked her."

"I know, I know." She sighed. "And of course I had to make it worse by telling her I already had something awesome planned. I'm screwed."

There was one person who might be able to help her. Anna hurried down the hall, stopping in front of another dorm room. She knocked, calling out. "Kristoff, please be in there!"

* * *

_\- 250 years ago_ -

"They're talking rocks..." Anna stared blankly.

"Trolls." Elsa corrected.

"Talking... rocks..." She watched Eugene chatting animatedly with Bulda and Pabbie, introducing Rapunzel to them. The trolls said something, and her friends blushed. They looked at each other, then Rapunzel dragged him off to one side of the clearing to talk with him privately. "What do you think that's all about?"

"I have no idea." Elsa shook her head. She turned to Bulda, who had just rolled up. "Hello, Bulda."

"Hi Elsa! Anna!" The troll greeted them.

"Thank you for the help with my rescue, Bulda." Anna smiled at the troll. She'd been briefly introduced to them already, and despite the general weirdness of the situation, found that she liked the little strange rock people.

"Of course, of course!" Bulda nodded. "I see why Elsa is so taken with you. You're wonderful!" She turned to Elsa. "Are you two staying for the wedding?"

"Wedding?" Anna asked. "What wedding?"

"Their wedding." Bulda pointed to where Rapunzel and Eugene were still talking.

"They're getting married?" Anna exchanged a look with Elsa, who only shrugged. When had this happened?

"It was Rapunzel's idea, actually." Bulda beamed. "She mentioned she was going to marry him when you all get out of this mess, so we offered to do it now, seeing as your Church wouldn't be too friendly to the idea, given the circumstances."

"So that's why he looks like he's about to run for his life." Anna snickered.

"He's a work in progress." The troll agreed. "But I think she'll be able to manage him."

"If anyone can do it, it's her." She nodded.

"Then you will be staying for it?" Bulda asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything." Anna couldn't wait to see this. She glanced over at Elsa, but the blonde was only staring at the two, a sappy expression on her face. "When are they having it?"

"Tonight." Bulda told her. "I need to talk with Pabbie. Make sure he's got everything right for it."

Anna watched the troll roll off to join the others. Rapunzel and Eugene still talked privately on the other side of clearing. For the first time since the escape, she had free time. No sneaking through the palace or running through the woods. No passing out exhausted in a tiny clearing. Anna smiled as her eyes drifted to where Elsa leaned against a tree, still wearing the guard uniform she'd used as a disguise. That last bit hadn't been bad at all. Despite having little more than a couple blankets, she'd slept better than she could ever remember. Waking up in Elsa's arms was something she wanted to do every chance she could get.

She moved to where Elsa was, her finger tracing along the blonde's jaw, drawing her attention. Her lover tilted her head down to kiss her, a gesture Anna eagerly returned. Her capture had shown her how much she needed Elsa, how complete the other girl made her life.

Elsa's arm slid around her waist, another thing Anna decided she wanted to experience as much as possible. Who would have thought an Ice Queen would feel so warm? She giggled at that random thought and cuddled closer to the tall blonde. It didn't matter to her what anyone else thought anymore. Elsa was hers. Her Ice Queen.

* * *

_\- Present day_ -

Elsa stood in front of her bed, staring at the clothes she'd set aside on it. She needed the perfect outfit for tonight. Something that would really impress Anna. Something that would be good for a first date. Not for the first time, she wished she'd done as her various friends had encouraged her over the years, and gone on some dates. Just something to give her some experience with this.

_We could just wear the dress again. She could barely keep her eyes off us._

_Yes, but she's already seen us in that._

_True._

_Besides, we want to look good, but we also don't want it to be too much. I know she said she wasn't going to just leave or anything again, but better safe than sorry._

_Agreed._

_You're not going to fight me on this?_

_Um, if it means we get to kiss her again like we did yesterday, there's no way I'm going to argue with you._

_Right, so, we need something nice, a step up from our usual, but not too much to make her feel nervous. And just a touch of sexy, because we want her to want us._

_Okay, let's see, the spaghetti strap top and matching skirt. It's definitely nicer than what we usually wear and still sexy enough that it says 'date' and not 'dinner with a friend'._

_I like it. Sexy and flirty, but not as much as the dress would be._

_Well, we do want her to look. We're going to have to give her chances to look._

_I'm not good at that._

_I know, but remember what Gerda said, confidence. Besides, if we're going by your plan, we want her to be comfortable. So let's give her the chance to see what she wants._

_I'll try._

_We'll be fine._

_Any idea what she has in mind for tonight?_

_Oh please, you know she's in a panic right now, trying to come up with something. I bet she only planned as far as asking us out. That's why she looked so worried when we wanted to know more._

_That does sound like Anna._

_Care to make a bet whether she trips over something or spills her drink on us?_

_I don't take bets that I have no chance of winning._

_You don't do bets at all._

_Well, it is more your area._

Elsa slipped on the outfit she'd chosen, examining herself in the mirror. She still felt like she could do better, but it was the best she had at the moment. The pale blue complemented her eyes nicely. It was also snug enough that it enhanced her curves. Likewise, the skirt showed off her legs to good effect.

_What about our hair? Should we put it up?_

_Let's go with the braid again. She smiles when she sees it. But this time, let's leave a few strands out on purpose. She seemed to like how that one strand tickled her face. Plus, it'll show her that we want this date to be relaxed. No pressure._

_That's a lot to say with hair._

_We want this to go as good as possible, right?_

_True. I guess I'm just nervous._

_Me too._

_We can do this._

_Yes._

_I... I guess I'm ready._

* * *

Anna twirled in place, spinning slowly to show off her dress. "What do you think, Joan? Good enough for a first date? Should I change? I think the green is nice, it looks good with my hair. Oh, should I put it back into my braids? I wanted to put it down tonight. I think it goes better with the dress, but it's not what I'm used to."

She brushed a few errant strands back behind her shoulders. "I do owe Ariel something big for her help. Normally my hair is pretty impossible. And this dress she found for me! Now I just need to get through this without spazzing out on her, and I think it'll go well enough."

She sat down below the painting. "I owe Kristoff a 'thank you' also. He had some good ideas, but I think this one is really going to be great. I hope she likes it as much as I'm going to. Though, I'm still not sure about the part with the dinner choice. It probably wouldn't make a good impression if I strangle that Colette girl."

Anna looked up to where Joan waited impassively. "So yeah, wish me luck tonight. My first date with another girl. I hope I don't screw this up, because Elsa is pretty awesome. I guess it says something about me that I'm more excited about this than any date I've had before. I really want this to go well."

Anna stood up, smoothing her dress out. "I know you probably think I'm obsessing over this, Joan, but I guess I still feel a bit weird about it all. I never really thought about kissing another girl, let alone dating one, before I met Elsa. That kiss yesterday changed things, though. I... Maybe that's why I never really cared all that much if I was dating someone. And why I never wanted to do anything with the boys I did go out with. When I kissed them, I never felt anything like that kiss with Elsa. I guess that's kind of an answer by itself."

Anna rested a hand below the paiting. "Thanks for listening to all this, Joan. I'll be by later, let you know how the date goes."

Anna set out from the gallery room, heading for Elsa's room. She gasped when she ran into Kristoff headed for the other direction. "Hi Anna." He paused, looking her up and down. "Wow, looking good tonight."

"Thanks." She blushed a little.

"So you're really going through with it?"

"Yes, that's why I was bugging you so much last night." Anna told him. "Thank you for the suggestion, by the way. I think it'll work great."

"Good luck, Anna." He gave her a mock glare. "Oh, before you go, as her best friend, I have to tell you, if you hurt her, I'll have to hurt you."

"Right, got it. No hurting." Anna waved and started back towards the dorms again. She grinned at him. "I've gotta go. I've got a date tonight!"

* * *

_\- 250 years ago_ -

Prince Hans fingered the sword at his waist, trying not to appear too nervous. While he'd been rallying some of the local troops to assist the Church guards, word reached him that a messenger from his father had been spotted. Assuming the tides cooperated, the ship would dock very shortly.

All the reasons his father might send a messenger to meet with him flickered through his mind. He dismissed the worst case - that his father would send someone to 'take care of him'. No, Father wouldn't stir himself for that. He would let one of his other sons take care of their errant brother. Three of his brothers had already suffered various 'accidents'. As long as they took care avoid direct involvement, Father had no objections. Indeed, he had refrained from naming a successor so far, preferring to see which of his sons was the most ruthless and cunning, and therefore the fittest to inherit the throne.

Likewise, he doubted he was being recalled. If his plans were successful, the Southern Isles would be vastly enriched. And if he failed, he was sure Father would disown him, send enough money to smooth any ruffled feathers, and do his best to erase all mention of a 'Prince Hans of the Southern Isles' from any records. Plus, if he was caught, it would prove him unworthly, one less son to fight over the throne.

Hans fidgeted. That meant that Father intended to meddle in his plans. It would make things difficult - more difficult, he thought with a shudder and a glance at the Ice Palace glinting on the outline of North Mountain - but he also could not refuse such 'aid'. Even a hint of disobedience would be ammunition for one of his brothers.

So for the time being, his plan was on hold, all activity paused while he waited for the envoy to dock. Soon enough, he spotted the outline of a ship on the horizon. As it drew closer, he was able to make out the flag of the Southern Isles, and below that, a banner indicating the ship carried a royal messenger.

He signaled his troops and they formed up. It would be a small welcome, but it was the best he could do on such short notice. He waited at the end of the line. The ship docked and within minutes a ramp was extended.

"Minister Yzma." He inclined his head to the woman descending the ramp. No one was sure exactly where the old woman was originally from or how she'd wormed her way into Father's graces so quickly. The only thing that was certain was that she was the reason Father had ruled the Southern Isles with an iron grip for the past thirty seven years. If she was making a personal appearance, things would be far harder.

"Prince Hans." The old woman didn't bow, but Hans couldn't object. While no one could prove it, Daniel, his third oldest brother, had once insulted and attacked her. The attack failed, and Yzma had merely brushed it off. But a week later, Daniel had choked to death in the middle of a feast. He'd been eating the same food as everyone else, but only he had died.

"What word does Father send for me?"

"Oh, your father has no message for you. I am here for my own reasons." He shivered at the woman's grin. She waved for her servant, a hulking, dimwitted fellow named Kronk, to bring her luggage. "I expect rooms for a week. I trust, with my aid, that you will resolve this situation by then."

"What do you know of it?" He demanded.

She kept pace with him easily, despite her age. "More than you suspect." Yzma pointed a bony finger at the Ice Palace. "Enough to know you are faced with great danger. And great opportunity."

"I have things under control." He let a bit of temper show. After all, he was still a Prince of the Southern Isles. "It will be dealt with."

"Indeed. If your plans continue, I fully expect to be conveying what is left of your corpse back to your Father." She gestured to Kronk, who handed her an ornate wooden box. She passed it to Hans. "With this, you might actually succeed."

Hans opened the lid carefully. A bright red glow bathed him. Looking up from the interior, he met Yzma's gaze. "What does it do?"

* * *

_Next Chapter: Marriage, a first date, treachery, all sorts of fun stuff!_

* * *

_A/N: Originally, I wanted to include the date in this chapter, but it wound up feeling too rushed. Same with the wedding. The upside is, the next chapter is going to get lots of fluff. So, a very awkward first date for the modern Elsa and Anna coming up! Also, more of Hans' plots, plus we find out what Yzma gave him._

_And as always, thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing!  
_


	16. Chapter 16 - First Date

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 16 - First Date

* * *

Anna watched Elsa out of the corner of her eye. The way the blonde's skirt showed off her legs as she drove the van was so enticing. She'd seen those legs before, but this was the first time she'd _enjoyed_ it. Or at least was aware that she was enjoying it. She let her eyes drift up. Elsa's light blue top hugged her in a very flattering way. She had her hair in its usual braid, though several strands were loose. All in all, Elsa looked, well... hot.

It was a new feeling for Anna. Sure, she'd liked looking at the blonde before this. She'd thought the girl looked good. This was sort of like that, but in addition to that, there was a definite current of '_I'd like to do more than just look'_.

Even better, she was able to catch Elsa checking her out too. Most of the blonde's attention was on her driving, but from time to time, she'd sneak glances over to the redhead. And the small smile she'd get after each one said that liked what she was seeing. _Ariel was right about the dress. I owe her big for this._ Anna shifted in her seat, drawing another of those glances. Another smile. "You look great, Anna."

Anna could only smile happily at that. She liked that Elsa was enjoying this as much as she was. Deciding that she needed to maybe be a bit more forward, she reached out, brushing her hand on Elsa's shoulder. She shivered at the touch, liking how Elsa's skin felt under her fingers. So warm and soft. "Thank you. You look really good too."

The answering smile was all she needed. "Thanks." The blonde replied. She returned her eyes to the road. "Where are we going in town?"

"The old theater." Anna told her.

"Oh?" Elsa asked.

"Yes, I think you'll like it."

"I can't wait." The dimple she liked appeared. She pulled the van into a spot, shutting down the motor. As they got out of the van, she looked up at the sign on the theater. "_Casablanca?"_

"Yes. Kris told me they host a classic movie night once a week. Have you seen it before?" The blonde shook her head. "Well, we're going to correct that tonight. I think you'll like it."

Anna got their tickets, and offered to get some snacks too, but Elsa declined in favor of dinner later. She didn't miss Elsa's amused smile when she chose seats towards the rear of the theater. The blonde set her gloved hand on the padded armrest. When Anna lightly laced her fingers through the other girl's, she was rewarded with a bright smile.

The movie passed quickly. Anna was pleased to see Elsa caught up in it. She could tell when the blonde really got into a scene, because Elsa would squeeze her fingers. After about an hour, Anna felt the urge to take a chance. Leaning over, she brushed a kiss against Elsa's neck. The blonde froze in place, not reacting. For a moment, Anna thought she'd made a mistake. Then Elsa tilted her head slightly, inviting her to do it again.

Now it was Anna's turn to hesitate. She knew what Elsa wanted. Even in the dark of the theater, she could see the pale color of the blonde's skin._ I want this too, and I think that's what makes me nervous. I never felt like this with my boyfriends, not even close. Does that mean I've always felt like this? Did I really never think about it before? I guess I never thought about it too much before meeting Elsa. She's so nice and beautiful and fun and awesome. And so very kissable._

She let her lips drift back to Elsa's neck. God, was Elsa kissable. Touching her like this felt so right. And she must be doing something right, because the blonde let out a quiet moan of pleasure. Her lips pressed down on the soft, warm skin and her own moan joined Elsa's. She was about to disentangle her fingers from the other girl's so she could reach out, but stopped herself. _Oh god, I want to, but it seems a bit too much for a first date._

Elsa made a small disappointed sigh, but returned her attention to the movie. _She's not putting any pressure on me, letting me decide how comfortable with this I am. So why do I wish she would push things a bit?_ She contented herself with holding Elsa's hand for now. The rest of the movie passed quietly, though slowly for Anna.

When it was over, Anna glanced over at Elsa. The blonde quirked an eyebrow at her. Anna smiled back, waiting. Slowly, the other girl's smile faded to a look of expectation. _What is she waiting for?_ Then it hit her. _Oh right, she thinks I have this all planned out. What should I tell her next? That all I have right now is the boring old dinner and a movie?_

"Anna?" Elsa asked her, cutting through her thoughts.

"Uh, well, how about dinner?" Anna cringed. _Yep, boring. Plus I wasted a really nice opportunity during the movie. I'm a bad date, all right._ And of course, since she was thinking about food, her stomach chose that moment to gurgle loudly. _Kill me now.._.

Elsa giggled. "I think that might be wise."

"I... well, I was thinking we could try that one place again." Anna suggested. "With the food." Elsa laughed again. "Of course, food. And we'll eat it." _Now I just sound stupid!_ "I mean... I'm hungry!" _Duh, half the town must have heard my stomach._ "Sorry, I'm rambling again." _Again, way to go with the obvious._ "It's your fault!" Elsa looked surprised. "Gah, no, that's not what I wanted to say. What I meant was, you're Elsa!" _Well, at least she's laughing again._ "I... You do bad things to my brain."

"I'm not sure what I can do about that, but we can at least get some food for you." Elsa took her hand, sending a tingle up Anna's arm. She winked at the redhead. "Food we can eat, of course."

Anna followed the other girl towards the french restaurant. It was a short walk, only a few blocks. It should have taken minutes, but Anna was too distracted to notice when Elsa detoured them to the park. "Elsa, I thought we were getting dinner?"

"We will." The blonde girl sat down on a bench, waving for Anna to join her. "I just wanted to ask you something first, is something bothering you?"

"I... You'll probably think it's stupid."

"I won't, I promise."

"Okay." Anna took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain. "I'm nervous. I've never been out with a girl. On a date, I mean. It's like everything feels new to me, and, um, I'm not sure what to do."

"Not sure what to do?" Elsa giggled. "It's a date, Anna, just be yourself. That's the point. And just to let you know, I'm enjoying myself so far."

"Yeah, but..." _Why does she have to be so understanding_?

"Don't make it so difficult, Anna. You wanted this, right?"

"Yes, I did, but..." _She's really making it hard to be awkward, damn it!_

"Then why make it any harder?" Elsa asked her. "You kissed my neck in the theater."

"Yes..." Anna's face flushed.

"Did you like it?" Elsa was grinning.

"Ummm... yes?"

"Did you think about me doing it to you?" _So not fair! Don't ask me that!_

"I... ah... might have." Anna mumbled. _For like the last half of the movie..._

Elsa still smiled at her, but Anna could read the nervousness behind her expression. Her voice, when she spoke this time, was tinged with hope. "Would... you like me to?"

_Hell. YES!_ Anna gulped. Elsa's eyes were wide while she waited. Anna tried to get her mouth to work, but had to settle for simply nodding. _Ohmygod, I... She's going to..._

Anna held still as Elsa leaned in. The blonde's warm breath tickled the skin of her neck. Her lips brushed just below Anna's jawline, sending a wave of pleasure through her. A bit more pressure and Elsa's mouth sealed around the skin. Anna hissed as the blonde's tongue touched the skin. Anna's hand rose involuntarily, reaching up to grip the base of Elsa's head as she kissed her way down the redhead's neck. Elsa found her way to Anna's pulse point, sucking hard on it before playing her tongue against it.

Elsa bit lightly, nipping Anna's neck. The redhead's fingers tightened in the blonde's hair, holding the other girl's head so she couldn't escape, not that she seemed to have any intention of doing that. When Elsa's hand gripped Anna's waist, she could no longer suppress a moan. She could only sit there and let the blonde continue her ministrations.

Eventually, shortness of breath forced Elsa to let go. The blonde's heated gasps matched Anna's own. She could still feel the warmth on her neck from where Elsa had kissed her. Her fingers still tangled in that wonderful platinum mane. Her head tilted down and her eyes met Elsa's wide blue orbs. "Elsa... wow..."

Just when she was sure the moment was leading somewhere more... interesting, her stomach had to ruin it. Elsa was reaching up to trace her fingers along Anna's jaw when a loud, insistent rumble interrupted her motion. Elsa choked out a giggle as Anna's face flushed in embarrassment. "Damn it, sorry!"

"Okay, I get the hint. Let's feed you." The blonde stood up, offering a gloved hand to help Anna up too. Before she released her grip, she squeezed Anna's fingers. "Did... you like it?"

"Yes..." Anna met her gaze.

"Good." Elsa started them back towards the restaurant. "Thank you."

"For?" She asked the blonde.

"I wanted to do that since the movie." A breathtaking smile greeted her.

_I'm so lost..._

* * *

_\- 250 years ago_ -

Prince Hans sat across from Minister Yzma. The box the old woman offered him sat on the table right in the middle between them. Since she'd shown him the vial, he'd refused to touch the box at all. It wasn't so much that he didn't trust Yzma, rather that he knew that while her offer might be genuine, she certainly wouldn't have told him the whole story.

"So, explain this again. This... potion..." He gestured at the box. "...will protect me how exactly?"

Yzma ignored his first question, as she usually did. Yet one more little statement she used to show who really held the power. "You did well, boy. Most of your idiot brothers would simply kill the Ice Witch out of hand. You took steps to contain and control her, even if those steps were failures." His hands clenched at her slight mockery. "Tell me, how much do you know about magic?"

"Only what is available in the libraries, though much of it is useless fiction." Hans shrugged.

"True enough." Yzma smiled at him. "But what do you know about how magic occurs?"

"It just... happens?" Hans had never really thought about it. The Church didn't have much presence in the Southern Isles, but such studies were still discouraged. Magnus, who had once been the closest to gaining Father's blessing, had fallen out of favor when rumors kept surfacing that he practiced sorcery. The fact that the rumors were true was the only thing that protected him. After all, it would never do for Father to throw away such a valuable resource.

"In some, yes. I suspect that is how this Princess Elsa came by her powers. There have been rumors of ice magic in the area for centuries." _I'm pretty sure you're old enough to know for certain._ "Others can learn some aspect of magic." She gestured to the box containing the potion. "And magic can also be the result of a gift or curse."

"Fascinating." He replied flatly. "So how does that get me into a palace made of pure ice on top of the most inaccessible mountain in the kingdom?"

"Fresh baked spinach puffs!" Kronk offered a tray to Yzma then Hans.

"Thank you, Kronk." Yzma waved the idiot away. "Getting into there is your business. After all, isn't that why you gathered all those delightful Church fellows?"

"Brainless thugs occasionally have their uses." Hans nodded pointedly towards Kronk. "Assuming I do get in, you haven't told me how this concoction of yours will help against her."

"It's simple, really. If magic can be gifted or cursed onto someone, my theory is it should be possible to take it, as well." The old woman nodded to the box. "Just drink it and have her use her magic on you. It should allow you to draw that power in."

Hans eyed the box again. "There are easier ways to commit suicide. Drink something I know nothing about and simply let her cast her sorcery at me? How do I know it will work?"

"Would I lie to you?" Yzma smiled at him.

"Of course."

"It is your choice." She told him. "I know you planned to control Elsa by holding her friends hostage. Why not simply take the power for yourself?"

Hans reluctantly took the box, setting it to one side. _Do I trust her? Am I desperate enough?_

* * *

\- _Present day_ -

"So Elsa, back with your... _friend_... again?" Colette's voice purred. The french girl squeezed Elsa's shoulder and smirked possessively over at Anna. _She winked when she said 'friend'! Can't she just go away and leave us to our date?_ She settled for glaring at the dark haired girl. _Why didn't I plan this better?_

"Yes, we decided to stop by on our date." Anna had to fight a smile when Elsa stressed the word 'date'. The blonde met her eyes and Anna melted. She let the rest of the conversation wash over her as she sat there in a happy daze.

When Colette left, Anna grinned at the blonde. "Thank you."

"For what?" Elsa asked.

"Telling her we're on a date."

"Why would I hide it? She's my friend."

"She seemed a bit more than friendly, the way she drapes herself all over you." Anna tried to make it a joke, but it still came out sounding a bit jealous.

"She's probably just trying to make you jealous." Elsa had a soft smile.

"I guess it's working." She admitted.

"Does this mean we can dance after dinner again?" The blonde probably meant it to tease her, but she sounded far too hopeful. Of course, Anna herself didn't really want it to be just a joke either.

"Maybe." She felt her face heating as she remembered the other time they'd been here. How close they'd danced. It would be nice to do that again.

"Only maybe?" Elsa frowned playfully. "I think I need to get Colette back out here, I might want to change my order. She'll have to help me... closely..."

"Oooohhh, that's blackmail."

"Is it working?"

"...Yes." Anna grinned back. Then she sobered up. "Hey Elsa, it really doesn't bother you to tell people we're... y'know?"

"Together?" The way Elsa said it sent a shiver through her. "I'm not ashamed, Anna. Why would I want to hide it?"

"Well, I thought... I mean, after your parents... um, never mind, shutting up now."

"Are you scared, Anna?"

"... I guess a little." Anna felt ashamed to admit it. "I... I just... This is all so new to me. I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."

"It's okay to be scared. Though, I want you know, I'm here for you. Whatever you need." The smile returned. "But I will say this, you make me really happy, and it's hard for me to hide that."

Anna felt good to hear that as well. She watched the other girl during the meal. Elsa would meet her eyes and they'd share a smile. Or Anna would reach out so she could touch the blonde's arm, just to feel. They talked quietly, though she could barely remember about what. When they were done, Elsa turned to her. "So, about that dance?"

"Uh, sure." Anna blushed, but allowed Elsa to lead her to the small dance area. Anna's hands found the taller girl's hips, and she would have been more than happy to stay like that, but Elsa's arms snaked around her shoulders, drawing her in close to the blonde. As their bodies met, she looked up into Elsa's eyes. Anna felt like she was drowning in those beautiful blue eyes. They were so close that Anna could feel the other girl's warm breath caressing her skin. She rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder, closing her eyes and simply enjoying the nearness of her. The heat of Elsa's body was like a fire against her. They swayed together, Anna losing herself in the dance with Elsa.

"You feel nice." Anna murmured.

"So do you." Elsa replied, equally quietly. The blonde's arms pulled her closer. She molded herself into the taller girl. _So good..._ Neither of them noticed time passing until much later.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago_ -

Princess Anna stood next Elsa, holding her hand as they watched the end of the troll wedding. While it had little of the grandeur of a Church wedding, it had a spirit that none of those events ever had. Rapunzel and Eugene stood before Pabbie, who was conducting the ceremony. The couple looked so happy. They kept smiling at each other as they held hands under the small stone arch. At the apex of the ceremony, Pabbie blessed them and they kissed to seal the marriage.

The two princesses applauded along with the trolls before approaching the couple. "Congratulations!" Anna squealed. She hugged Rapunzel and then Eugene, then stepped back to allow Elsa to do the same.

"Thank you." Rapunzel's smile was so wide, Anna was sure if it got any bigger, she'd permanently injure something.

"I'm so happy for you two." Elsa grinned.

"I know it's not official, but screw it! I'm married!" The brunette giggled happily. "Mom is going to go crazy when she hears about this."

"Yeah, well, as Crown Princess, I say it's official." Anna winked. "So there! You're married, officially."

"Thank you, Anna." Her friend hugged her again before dashing back to rejoin Eugene. She pointed to Anna, obviously telling him about her proclamation. His face lit up and he managed an awkward bow before Rapunzel embraced him. They kissed passionately.

"They look so good together." Elsa still wore her grin as she watched their friends kiss.

"Yes." Anna agreed. She stepped closer, bumping against the taller girl. Elsa put an arm around her, holding her. She leaned into the blonde, enjoying the closeness. _I love you, so much._

"I love you, Anna."

"Stop reading my mind." Anna tilted her head up to brush a kiss against Elsa's neck. "I was just thinking how much I love you, too."

"Why don't you give it a try then?" Her girlfriend dropped her arm to Anna's waist, pulling their bodies together even more. She leaned in, kissing along Anna's jawline. Her breathy voice whispered in the redhead's ear. "Want to guess what I'm thinking about?"

"Mmmm, as much as we'd both like it, I think that will have to wait until we get to your palace." The heat rising in her own body matched Elsa's. Regretfully, she pushed those feelings down for the time being.

"That... that's so not fair." The blonde hugged her tighter. "I know you're right, but still..."

"Later, I promise." Anna shivered at the thought. She couldn't wait to be alone with Elsa. Between her capture and then the escape, they hadn't had a chance for anything more than kissing and other light embraces. Now that she was reunited with her, she ached to make love with the blonde.

"I missed you so much." Once again, Elsa's thoughts mirrored her own. This time, the blonde's hug had a touch of desperation. She could understand that. Ever since the rescue, they'd been touching every chance they got, unwilling to be parted again. Anna could agree with that. She wanted the other girl, wanted her always.

_Always_...

"Excuse me a minute, Elsa." Anna walked over to where Bulda stood as she watched Eugene and Rapunzel. She had an idea. She just needed to see if Bulda would agree.

* * *

_\- Present day_ -

Anna waited nervously in front of Elsa's door. They'd danced and talked and generally enjoyed each other's company long into the night. Eventually, Colette had to bring them back to their table, pointing out that the restaurant was closing soon. For once, Anna didn't pay much attention at all to the french girl. The only thing she cared about was how good Elsa felt in her arms.

Now they'd ended up back at the dorms and Anna didn't want the date to end. Her hand lingered in Elsa's. They were standing maybe half a step apart, simply staring into each other's eyes. She reached up with her other hand, brushing back an errant strand of platinum hair from Elsa's face. The blonde sighed, her eyes closing a little as her head tilted against Anna's hand.

Anna let her hand slide back to Elsa's neck. Gently she pulled the taller girl's head down. Her lips feathered against Elsa's. The blonde's arms found Anna's hips, drawing her in closer. The redhead felt the other girl's tongue pressing against her mouth, seeking entry. Her lips parted and her tongue danced against the blonde's. A moan escaped her. She lost herself in the kiss, in the warmth of Elsa's embrace.

When the kiss broke, she kept her arms around Elsa. Meeting her gaze, she slowly drifted back until they parted. When she was finally able to speak, her voice was barely a whisper. "Goodnight, Elsa."

"Goodnight."

Anna retreated towards her room, her heart pounding. She'd had good dates before, but nothing like this. She wanted nothing more than to follow Elsa back to her room and see what would happen next. Her hand brushed against her lips, which still tingled from the intensity of the kiss.

Once she was safely in her room, Anna sank onto her bed. Her whole body trembled. _Best date ever!_ Looking in the mirror, she spotted a mark on the base of her neck. _Oh, from when Elsa kissed me there earlier... I like it._ Anna slipped her dress off and sank back on the bed. She ran a hand down her body. It might have been a long day, but she was still far too keyed up to rest right now.

_I want her._ Anna's mind flashed to the beautiful blonde. Kissing Elsa, being kissed by her, made her hunger for more. Dancing with her felt so nice too. If the restaurant hadn't closed, she wasn't sure she would have stopped. _I can't wait till our next date. Actually, I can't wait till tomorrow - date or no, I'll see her then. Damn it, I need to talk to Joan!_

Pulling on some casual clothes, Anna hurried down the hall to the gallery room. "Hi Joan, I know it's late, so I'll keep this one short. The date went really well, I think. Really well, because I so want another one. Does that mean she's my girlfriend?"

Anna giggled. "I think I'd like her to take the job. I hope she's interested. I mean, I'm pretty sure she is. You should have seen her, holding herself back all night. Okay, not all night, but most of the night. And I guess the thing in the park was partly me anyway. Since I told her yes and all."

She sighed happily. "That was so hot, by the way. She can do that again any time she wants, because it felt amazing. If my stupid stomach hadn't interrupted us, I wonder what she'd have done next. Is it a bad thing that I really want to find out? Because I very much do."

Anna looked up at Joan. "Though I guess that's kinda my problem right now. I don't really know what to do. With another girl, I mean. What if I do something wrong? I know, Ariel says I'm overthinking this a lot, but I don't want to mess up. I want her to like whatever happens. Any help with that?"

She shrugged. "I know, I know, figure it out. But I'm just so nervous. Elsa's been on dates, she's had a girlfriend. She knows so much more than I do. I'm not sure what she expects, or what she wants me to do. So, I guess that bothers me a little. I never thought about this stuff before, because I never wanted to do any of it with any of my boyfriends. Well, now I want to."

Anna got up from the bench. "Anyway, I should get to bed soon and try to sleep. I know, not likely, but still. Thanks for listening again, Joan."

* * *

_\- The next day_ -

"Good morning." Elsa looked up from her breakfast to spot Anna hovering in the doorway. The redhead smiled at her, but her posture was tense and nervous.

"Morning, Anna." Elsa smiled back.

"So-" "I-" They both tried to talk at the same time.

"You go-" "Go ahead-" Another awkward pause.

Elsa kept silent this time, simply waving for Anna to speak. The redhead stepped into the room, walking over to stand in front of her. "Um, Elsa, I... Thank you for last night. I really liked it."

"I enjoyed it too." Elsa replied. She waited for Anna to say more.

"I... well, that is... I guess I wanted to know what happens now?" Anna looked at her hopefully.

"What happens now?" She echoed.

"With... um, with us." Anna clarified. "I'm not really sure how to ask this, but I, uh, wantyoutobemygirlfriend."

Elsa stared at her a moment as she mentally caught up with the redhead's verbal rush. Then she smiled widely. She stood up from the couch, advacing slowly on Anna. "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that, say it again?"

"I... uh... that is..." The shorter girl's eyes widened, like she was watching a predator stalking her. "I... I... I..." Elsa stopped barely a step in front of her, causing her to gulp. "Elsa..." She leaned in, brushing a kiss against Anna's lips.

When she pulled back after the brief contact, the redhead choked back a frustrated growl. Elsa winked at her. "That's a yes, by the way." She purred.

"Yes?" Anna asked, stunned.

"Yes." Elsa gently tugged the redhead back towards the couch.

"Yes?" The shorter girl repeated, as if she was having trouble understanding the word.

"Yes, Anna." She sat on the couch, pulling the dazed redhead down to join her. She smiled when the other girl sat closer than normal, close enough to touch. She slid an arm around Anna's shoulders, drawing the shorter girl against herself. Anna was a warm, comforting presence, and Elsa sighed happily when she felt the other girl rest her head on her shoulder.

"I think I could get used to this." The redhead mumbled.

"Me too." Elsa agreed.

"I guess this means I'm you're girlfriend now, too." Anna giggled, and Elsa joined her, the two of them laughing at the ridiculousness of the statement.

"I would hope so." Elsa grinned at her.

The rest of the morning flew by for Elsa. Anna dragged her chair over to the other side of the table in the library, so they could sit together while they read and worked. Their hands met, fingers lacing together. When lunchtime finally arrived, she barely noticed. It was only when Anna asked her if she was hungry that she checked the time. The afternoon was likewise enjoyable. This time brought in some cushions, sitting on together on the floor so Anna could lean against Elsa as they read.

When dinner rolled around, Anna turned to her. "I was thinking, we never got around to having our movie night a couple weeks ago. Want to stay in and do that?"

"How is movie night different from going to the movies like we did last night?" Elsa teased her.

"It's the principle of the thing!" Anna grinned.

"Fine." Elsa smiled back. "Let's get some food, then you pick a movie for us."

They ate quickly, Anna because it was pizza night, and Elsa because she was looking forward to spending time with just Anna and no work to do.

* * *

Anna dashed down the hallway, hurrying to her room to pick the movie. She rounded a corner and ran right into Kristoff. She spotted the diary in his hand and winced. She'd totally forgotten their usual session. "Hey Kris, sorry for the last minute notice, but I sorta already have plans for tonight."

"It's okay." He handed the diary over to her. "Actually, that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Take a look."

She opened the book. "What am I looking for?"

"You know that entry we read a couple days ago, where she relayed how they were captured?"

"Yes?" She started flipping pages towards it.

"That's the last one."

Anna stared down at the blank pages at the end of the book. "That's... incredibly not fair! There's really nothing more?"

"No, we reached the end of it." He sounded frustrated, and she couldn't blame him. "She writes about being captured... and that's all."

"So what now?" She asked.

"You did promise to tell Elsa and the others, once you finished with it." Kristoff pointed out.

"I know... I just wish we knew how it all ended." Anna sighed. "Still, you're right. I... Let me think on it for a bit, okay? I'll tell them, but not tonight."

"Let me guess, Elsa?"

"Yes." She smiled happily. "Thanks again for the help, last night went great!"

"I'm happy for you. For both of you." Kristoff smiled back.

"Anyway, I need to get back to her. Talk tomorrow?" She waved to him as she started towards her room again.

"Sounds good." He waved a goodbye to her. "Have fun tonight!"

She hurried back to her room, tossing the book on her dresser. She grabbed the first dvd she found and dashed back towards the break room. Elsa was waiting for her, the cushions they'd used earlier arranged on the couch to make it more comfortable. The blonde patted the seat right next to her, the invitation clear. She looked at the dvd, then up at Anna. "_Big Trouble In Little China?_"

"You told me before that you haven't seen it. I think you'll like it." She put it in and walked over to the couch, taking a seat next to Elsa. Once again, she settled against the blonde, sighing happily when the taller girl put an arm around her shoulders. Elsa felt delightfully warm, and she snuggled in closer to her.

"I'm liking this already." Elsa whispered.

"I haven't started the movie yet." Anna pointed out.

"I wasn't talking about the movie." The blonde tilted her head, kissing Anna's cheek. She responded by nuzzling the other girl's neck. Her lips sought out Elsa's pulse point, eliciting a soft moan from her. It was a mirror of what Elsa had done to her the other night, and she hoped the taller girl liked it as much as she had. Elsa's finger's tightened her grip on Anna's shoulder as the redhead's teeth lightly nipped the spot, and she moaned softly.

Her hand dropped to Elsa's thigh, squeezing it as she continued to kiss the blonde's delicious neck. The taller girl's eyes closed, and she shifted, allowing Anna to slide even closer. Her other hand found its way to the small of Elsa's back. "So good." The blonde whispered. Anna kept kissing her, enjoying how Elsa's skin felt under her lips. Her hand twitched, hesitating at the bottom of Elsa's shirt. _I want this_.

Before she could let her nervousness stop her, she slid her hand under the shirt, running it along Elsa's back. She could feel the faint traces of goosebumps on the other girl's skin. How warm it was. So soft. Her fingers brushed past the blonde's bra to the delicate edge of her shoulderblades. The quiet whimper the taller girl let out sent Anna's heart racing. Her teeth teased Elsa again, drawing a louder moan this time. "Anna... yesssssss..."

Anna kissed her way up Elsa's neck, lingering on the blonde's jawline before continuing to her mouth. Their lips met and Anna gasped out a moan of her own. Her tongue touched Elsa's lips, seeking entrance that the blonde eagerly granted. The taste of Elsa filled her mouth as the other girl's tongue danced with hers. Her fingers slipped under the strap of the blonde's bra, and the part of her brain that wasn't occupied with kissing Elsa noted the little shiver she caused.

She hesitated again. _I can't believe I'm going to do this._ Her hand wandered to the clasp of the bra. Pulling back a fraction, she breathed deep as she stared into Elsa's eyes. The naked hunger she saw there thrilled her in a way she'd never experienced before. The blonde leaned in, kissing her passionately, driving out any other thoughts. Her hand pinched the clasp, the fabric relaxing as it separated. _I have to know..._

Elsa sank back against the couch, Anna advancing on her, into her lap. The taller girl's hands clenched the redhead's hips. Her own hands worked their way to the front of Elsa's torso, still under her shirt. They drifted up the smooth warm skin, stopping at the bottom of the bra. She lifted it up out of the way. Without conscious thought, her hands rose, brushing against the soft flesh she'd just uncovered. She gasped as her fingers encountered Elsa's breasts. The skin felt incredibly smooth under her touch, the nipples hard against her hands.

The blonde was moaning into her mouth, her grip on Anna's waist growing tighter. One finger circled a nipple as Anna kept exploring beneath Elsa's shirt. She squeezed the nipple, causing Elsa to bite off a sharp moan. Suddenly, Anna felt the need to _see_, to touch with more than just hands. She started to lift the shirt, aching to free Elsa from it.

"...nnnggghhh... _wait_..." Elsa pushed on Anna's hips. Anna growled, frustrated. The last thing she wanted to do right now was _wait_. "We... we can't do this... not here..."

_Why not?_ It took Anna a long moment before she remembered where exactly they were. Looking around the break room, she spotted the open door. Elsa was right, as much as she hated to admit it right now. They were very lucky that no one else had come in while they'd been... busy. When she managed to compose herself, her voice still came out far more ragged than expected. "Sorry, Elsa. I... got caught up."

"Don't be sorry." The blonde sounded as flustered as she felt. She surrepticiously restored the bra and adjusted her shirt. Anna watched her, a smug grin gracing her lips when she spotted a darkening mark on Elsa's neck. _That was me_... The taller girl blushed but looked at her. "We can... try... again later. If you want?"

"I want." Anna choked out. It slowly dawned on her what just happened. This time, it had been her pushing the limits. She'd simply intended to see how it felt to kiss Elsa's neck, the way hers had been the other night, but once she'd started, she wanted more. If Elsa hadn't stopped her... _If she hadn't stopped me, I'm not sure _what_ would have happened next._ Looking at the beautiful blonde next to her, she felt a welcome heat rising in her core. _It's still too soon for me, but I want to find out soon. Very much so_.

Elsa smiled back at her, her eyes still a little dazed. "I want to, too."

Anna's heart started racing again. To distract herself, she started the movie, trying her best to concentrate on that. It didn't work that well. She kept remembering the feel of Elsa's breasts in her hands. Every time the blonde would shift, she was reminded just how close those breasts were. It really didn't help that she kept trying to imagine what Elsa looked like without the shirt on...

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the past, things draw towards a confrontation. Meanwhile, in the present, Anna and Elsa get closer, while Elsa makes a decision of her own._

* * *

_A/N: Real life has been a bit of a pain recently, so this one took longer than I expected to get out. Plus, I kept rewriting parts of it over and over again, which added even more time. Anyway, I wanted to give Elsa and Anna a break, the modern ones I mean._

_As ever, thanks to everyone for your reviews and support!_


	17. Chapter 17 - Seeing is Believing

_A/N: Smut warning again!_

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 17 - Seeing is Believing

* * *

Elsa shifted against Anna, her mind turbulent as ideas warred with each other. As Anna promised, she did enjoy the movie. Even if she kept stealing glances at the redhead whenever she got the chance. _She's my girlfriend, I like looking at her. She's so beautiful._

More than that, she kept remembering how it felt when Anna touched her. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. And she had wanted that fire to consume her utterly. She wanted to lose herself under Anna's hands. The way those hands glided over her skin. _Oh my god, how those hands felt on my breasts... If I hadn't stopped her then, I really don't think I could have later if we kept going. And wow do I want her to do that again._

That was what brought her to her current idea. She really wanted to do more with Anna, but before she could do that, she needed to be honest with her. About everything. She needed to tell Anna about her... little problem. Get it under control so she could touch Anna. No gloves, just skin on skin. She needed a good way to tell the other girl, a way to make her understand. And hope that she didn't freak out.

When the movie finished, she sat still for a bit, simply enjoying the feel of Anna in her arms. The redhead seemed to have the same idea, making no attempt to get up from Elsa's embrace. She held the other girl, building her nerve. The movie gave her an idea of how she might make this work, but she was still incredibly nervous.

"What did you think?" Anna asked her.

"I liked it." She replied honestly. "Thanks for showing it to me."

"It's one of my favorites. It's fun for me, pretending that maybe there's more to the world than what we can see." Anna smiled. "It's nice to imagine that maybe magic is real. I mean, that's sort of why I got into archaeology in the first place. I love stories, even if they're not true."

_Tell her!_ "You don't think there might be truth to some of the stories?"

"Elsa, I love stories and movies, but they're just that, fiction." _If only you knew, Anna... I have to show you, just please don't hate me._

"I... there's something I want to show you, Anna. It's important." Elsa gulped. _I have to take the chance. Please, don't reject me for it. Please!_ "Not here, though."

Anna looked worried, but nodded. Elsa let the other girl help her up, keeping a grip on the redhead's hand even after they stood. She led Anna back towards the dorms, choosing her room for the discussion. She closed the door behind them. Filling a glass of water, she set it on the desk. Anna had a slightly confused look on her face.

"Please... I have to show you this, Anna. Before anything else, you need to see this." Her eyes pleaded with the redhead and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Don't hate me."

"I won't, I promise."

"I know you've been wondering why I started wearing these." Elsa took a deep breath. She trembled as she removed one of her gloves, doing her best to ignore the look of pure curiousity Anna wore as she watched. "It's like the movie said. 'This is nothing. Very small'." Her fingers brushed the glass.

"Elsa? What are you talking about?" Anna stared at her hand, holding the water glass. Elsa also looked at the glass. _It's not frozen!_

"I don't understand." She spoke without thinking. "It's supposed to freeze..."

This time, her gasp mirrored Anna's when the blue glow flashed through the glass, freezing it solid. The redhead looked up, her eyes wide. Her mouth was open, but no sounds came out. After a minute of shocked gaze, her voice emerged as a whisper. "Impossible."

_Why? Why didn't it freeze when I first touched it? Why only when I thought about it freezing?_ Filling another glass - with her gloved hand - Elsa put it back on the table and showed Anna again. Cautiously, she handed the glass over to Anna, letting her feel the chill seeping from it.

"How..." Anna stared at the glass in her hands. "This can't be."

"I don't know. It just... started. And I don't know how to make it stop." Elsa replied quietly. She laughed bitterly. "I don't even know what it _is_, let alone how to get rid of it."

"This isn't a trick?" Anna finally met her gaze.

"No. I wish it was."

Anna fell silent and Elsa wasn't sure how to continue this either. The redhead finally looked up to her again. "I'm really not sure what to say, Elsa. I mean, it's just not possible. There's no such thing as magic. At least, I would say that normally. But this..."

Elsa huddled in her chair, terrified of what Anna would do now. She'd finally done it, told the other girl the truth that she'd been seeking for so long now. And she just knew she was about to lose her. When she'd _finally_ gotten to date her. Why could she never have one good thing in her life? One good thing that didn't come with a horrible price?

"Can you control it?" Anna's voice cut through her worry.

Elsa nodded tightly. "With the gloves on, I don't freeze things."

"You didn't freeze the glasses when you first picked them up." Anna pointed to the other glass sitting on the table. "You held it for a bit before it froze."

"I did..." Elsa considered.

Anna grabbed another glass from the sink and filled it. "Try it again. This time try to not freeze it." She handed the glass to Elsa.

Elsa held it in her gloved hand. She made no move to touch it with her other hand. "Why? It's just one more way I'm a freak..."

"You're not a freak, Elsa." Anna insisted.

"It's okay, I know I am." Elsa said dejectedly.

"You're not. Stop talking like that." Anna frowned. "Please, just try to touch it, for me. Touch it and don't freeze it."

"I'll try." She surrendered. Placing the glass on the table in front her, she reached out with her other hand, her fingers trembling as she grasped it. _Conceal, don't feel. Don't freeze it. Don't freeze. Don't._ Green eyes lingered on her, not showing fear or disgust, but support and caring. _Please don't freeze. For Anna._

The glass didn't freeze! Elsa stared at it in wonder. She released the glass, letting it sit for a minute. Then she reached out to touch it again. It remained water, not ice. She looked up to Anna, her eyes shining. "It's not frozen!"

Anna grinned at her. "I knew you could do it!" She slid over next to Elsa. She reached out, her fingers taking hold of the other glove. The tips of those fingers brushed the skin of Elsa's wrist. She slowly peeled off the glove without looking, her eyes remaining locked on the blonde's. The redhead held out her hand palm up, inches in front of Elsa's. "Touch me."

"I-" Elsa gulped. "I can't, Anna. I don't want to hurt you."

"I trust you, Elsa." Anna's voice was soft and sincere. "I want you to touch me."

Hesitantly, she reached out, her hand gently touching Anna's. The flesh didn't freeze. Maybe this one nightmare wouldn't come true. She let her fingers lace through Anna's, drinking in the warm touch.

* * *

_\- 250 years ago_ -

Princess Elsa led Anna through a tour of the Ice Palace. The redhead knew that somewhere on the floor below, Rapunzel was getting her own tour from Eugene. Anna pretended that she hadn't heard Elsa quietly telling him that she intended to give the newlyweds plenty of privacy. The other newlyweds.

For what must have been the hundredth time, she looked down at her hand, where the ring of ice Elsa conjured for her rested on her finger. It was cool to the touch, but not cold like she'd first expected. The design was a flower growing from linked snowflakes, each petal crafted to catch the light and sparkle. She only wished she had something to give her wife in return.

_My wife. _Anna grinned happily as her eyes danced over Elsa's form. The trolls had been only too happy to accomodate them once she'd explained her idea. Soon after that, she found herself standing next to Elsa under the stone arch, as Rapunzel and Eugene had done barely an hour before, while Pabbie and Bulda married them.

_My wife_. Anna raised Elsa's hand to her lips. She kissed the delicate skin, feeling the blonde tighten her grip in response. The taller girl paused in front of a large doorway. She waved casually, her powers opening the doors easily. She turned to Anna, her voice husky. "This is..." She smiled brightly. "This is our bedroom." She took in Anna's wide, staring eyes and added hastily. "If you want, that is."

Anna giggled softly. "Of course I want it." Wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist, she pulled her in for a long, hungry kiss. "Though, I think you should show me that huge bed soon..."

Elsa led her into the room. Pausing at the foot of the bed, she raised a gorgeous platinum eyebrow. "Is that all you want me to show you?"

Anna growled. Kissing Elsa again, she tugged the other girl's hips, sending them tumbling onto the bed. She held herself over Elsa, staring down into the blonde's eyes. When she spoke, she didn't bother to conceal the raw desire burning inside her. "What do you think?"

Elsa's hand brushed the redhead's jawline. "I love you, Anna."

"I love you, too." Anna leaned down to kiss the taller girl's neck. Her hands were busy, seeking out the laces of Elsa's dress. "I need you, Elsa." She nipped the blonde's pulse point. "I need to make love to you."

"_Yessss_..." Elsa moaned. Her hands gripped Anna's shoulders, starting their own path towards freeing the redhead from her dress.

"You're mine..." Another passionate bite as laces fell away under her touch.

"Yours..." The blonde agreed. Anna felt those delicate hands pulling on the top of her dress and she shifted slightly, allowing Elsa to slide it down. Her own hands mirrored the blonde's actions, exposing the pale expanse of her breasts.

There was nothing slow or hesitant about their lovemaking this time. The fear from days upon days of constant worry, of each not knowing how the other was doing or even if they were still alive poured out of them. Anna _needed_ Elsa. Her hands roamed over the blonde, fingers digging into skin. It was hurried, frantic, desperate. A confirmation of everything she'd been feeling for the past week and more.

Elsa was equally frenzied. The blonde's fingernails dug furrows into Anna's back. Her moans drove Anna on, her passion mingling with the other girl's. Their limbs tangled together as they lost themselves in each other.

It was dark out when Anna finally stirred herself. They'd made love for hours before eventually succumbing to sleep. Elsa was still asleep on top of her, her breasts pressing pleasantly against Anna's own. The blonde's breath tickled her neck, a warm, welcome sensation. She could also feel numerous scratches and bruises all over her body, but the ache from those was a pleasant reminder rather than actual pain.

She shifted slightly so she could better hold Elsa. It felt so good, so _right_, to hold her wife like this. She gently planted a kiss on Elsa's brow, taking care not to wake her. Her Ice Queen gripped her for a moment before relaxing. Anna kissed her again, smiling. "Mine..."

Elsa, still asleep, didn't reply to that, but the way she cuddled against Anna was answer enough. Anna ran one hand along the blonde's shoulderblades, enjoying how delicate yet defined they felt under her touch. Anna's desire was growing again, a welcome heat rising in her core. Elsa must have sensed something, because her eyes fluttered open, peering down into Anna's. An unfocused smile found its way to her face as her beautiful blue eyes met Anna's. "I love you."

Anna felt a silly grin of her own at hearing that. "I love you too, Elsa." A finger outlined the edge of one shoulderblade. "My wife."

"I like the sound of that." The blonde kissed her neck.

"Elsa..." Anna moaned.

"Say it again." Elsa's lips sealed around Anna's pulse point.

"My... _nnnnnggghh_..." She groaned under the sensation. "... My wife."

Elsa's teeth teased her skin. "Again." Her fingers slid between Anna's legs, seeking out the wetness there.

"..._oooooohhh..._" Anna's back arched off the bed as the blonde's touch met her clit. She moaned, her grip tensing on the blonde's back.

"Say it." Elsa's hand stopped its motions, one finger poised at Anna's entrance. The taller girl had a possessive glint in her eyes that Anna found irresistable at the moment.

"Don't... _uuuhhhh_... don't tease me..." She begged her lover.

"Say it..." Elsa purred. She tapped her finger, taunting Anna's core.

"My wife!" Anna screamed in pleasure as Elsa thrust the teasing digit inside.

Elsa's thumb rubbed her clit while a second finger joined the first in Anna's core. She writhed under the ministrations of the blonde. The fire in her grew, and she could feel her walls squeezing Elsa's fingers as they slid through the wetness therein. The blonde bit at her neck again, and Anna knew she wouldn't last much longer. She needed Elsa to bring her over the crest, and she moaned the magic words that would spur her lover on. "..._mmmmhhhhh..._ My wife!"

Elsa kissed her neck hard, curling the fingers inside Anna as her thumb rubbed her clit. Anna's hands dug into the blonde's back as she quivered, reaching her peak. Her walls gripped the exploring fingers as she orgasmed. Elsa kept working the spot, driving Anna's pleasure on and on.

When she finally sank down to reality, her eyes opened to show her Elsa hovering over her, love and desire clear on her face. She slipped her fingers out from Anna's sex, holding the glistening digits between them, and grinned triumphantly. The blonde licked them, keeping her eyes on Anna whole time. Despite the intensity of her orgasm, Anna found herself growing aroused once more. When Elsa finished, she leaned down, her mouth next to Anna's ear.

"_My wife_."

* * *

\- _Present day_ -

Anna yawned, halfheartedly cursing whoever was knocking on her door. She knew it wasn't Elsa, as the blonde's knocks were softer and shorter. She crawled out of her bed, pulling on the closest set of clothes she could find. She stomped over to the door, yanking it open with an angry "What?"

"Wow, I always knew you were not a morning person." Ariel let the glare slide off her - she'd had several years of experience with it. "I'm guessing that you were hoping it would be someone else at your door."

"Anyone with hot chocolate would be welcome right about now." She stepped back, letting her friend into the room.

"Sorry, can't help you there." The other redhead grinned. "I take it that since you blew us off yesterday, things are going well with you and Elsa?"

"Ah, sorry about that." Part of Anna did regret that she hadn't told her friends anything, but only part of her. "And yes, I think things are just fine."

"How fine, would you say?" The wink Ariel gave her made her feel dirty.

"Not as fine as what you're implying." Anna blushed.

"You know I'm not going to let this go until you give me some details. So spill."

Anna sat for a time, considering what to tell the other girl, knowing that Ariel wouldn't relent until she shared something. Obviously she couldn't say anything about Elsa's ice-whatever. Not only had she promised she wouldn't, but she liked having something like that private between them. "We're going out now." She finally admitted.

"And?" Ariel kept her stare on Anna, unimpressed.

"And we sorta... made out... a bit..." Anna mumbled.

"Sorta made out? Can you make it sound less pathetic, please?" The fiery redhead smirked. "How far did you let her get?"

"She, um, she doesn't want me to get nervous. She lets me... decide."

"Anna, I know you. I know _something_ happened, or you wouldn't be trying to hide it so poorly." Ariel sat back, smiling. "How. Far?"

Anna gestured to her chest, blushing furiously. Her voice was a fierce whisper. "And I was the one who... well..."

"Nice!" The fiery redhead approved. "So how was it?"

"I'm not gonna answer that!" She protested.

"That good?" Ariel grinned.

"Ohmygod, better..." Anna sank back on her bed with a sigh. "I'm so lost, Ari."

"That's not a bad thing, Anna." Her friend reassured her. "I mean, you liked it and I'm guessing she liked it too." A taunting note entered her voice. "I know you don't have any experience past this, but trust me when I say it only gets even better." She winked. "Much, much better."

"I'm not sure I'm ready."

"Do you want to do it again?"

"I can't wait." She glared at Ariel when the other redhead laughed.

"You'll be fine, Anna. Stop worrying and just see where it goes from here." Ariel suggested. "I think you're ready."

* * *

Elsa smoothed her shirt. She was nervous, but she'd promised Anna. No gloves today. _Conceal, don't feel. I can do this. For Anna._ After last night, when she'd finally been able to hold her hand for hours, no gloves and no freezing, Elsa hoped she could make it through the whole day. Anna was confident she would be, and Elsa didn't want to let her down.

"Morning, Elsa." Kristoff greeted her. She waved back as he entered the break room.

"You're up early." She commented.

"Yeah, Weaseltown left a message. Gotta make a run to Oslo for a pickup." He busied himself making some sandwiches.

"What is it?"

"No idea." He shrugged. "Just gotta go there and pick it up at the office."

"And I take it from your smile that he doesn't mind if you spend an extra day or two there..." Elsa grinned.

"His message never said this was urgent." Kristoff admitted. "And it does seem like a waste to make the trip without relaxing a little."

"Of course."

"I'd ask if you wanted to trade, but somehow I'm pretty sure you're more than happy to stay here." He winked. "I was in town yesterday and Colette just happened to mention that you were there the other night with a date... A certain redhead..."

"I might have been." Elsa replied.

"I'm glad things are going well for you."

"Me too."

"So, what did you think about the book?" He asked.

"What book?"

"The diary we found?" Kristoff prompted her. "Anna said she'd show it to you, now that we got to the end of it."

"She hasn't shown me anything, Kris. What are you talking about?" Elsa was confused.

"Ummm..." He sighed. "Forget I said anything, please. She made me promise I wouldn't until she was ready."

"Oh." Elsa tried not to let the hurt seep into her voice. What was this book and why was Anna hiding it from her? "Fine, whatever."

"Elsa..." Kristoff turned to her. "I'm sorry, it was never meant to hurt you."

"Just go." She told him. "Have fun on your trip."

Elsa sat on the couch while she waited for him to leave, anger and hurt bubbling up inside her. What book was Kristoff talking about? Why was Anna hiding it from her? Especially since Elsa had shared her secret with the redhead. The more she thought about it, the more it made her mad.

* * *

"Hi, Elsa!" Anna greeted her girlfriend cheerfully.

"Anna." The blonde replied flatly. _Okay, why does she sound so pissed?_

"Umm, you're not wearing the gloves!" She noticed. _Is she upset because I asked her to try today without them? She was so happy last night, we had a great time. So what happened between when I left and now?_

"Yes, I told you I'd try it today. _After_ I shared my secret with you." Elsa glared at her.

"Did... did you freeze something by accident? Did someone see?" Anna tried to think what might have gone wrong.

"No, it's gone fine so far. No freezing." The glare bored into her. "I was just talking with Kristoff. He's going down to Oslo for a few days, to pick up some stuff."

"Are you angry you didn't get picked to go?" The blonde denied it with a shake of her head. Goosebumps formed on Anna's skin. _I know I'm missing something here, but I have no idea what_... "What's bothering you, Elsa? I know something's wrong."

"Kristoff told me there's a book you've been hiding from me." _Oh crap!_ Those blue eyes narrowed when she didn't deny it. "He said you promised to share it."

"I... let me explain." She stammered. "Wait, let me show you. Easier that way."

Heart pounding in her chest, Anna dashed back to her room. She picked up the diary from her desk where she'd left it the other day. When she returned to the break room, Elsa was still sitting on the couch, waiting for her. Wordlessly, she passed the blonde girl the book. Elsa flipped it open, her eyes skimming the pages. She looked up from it. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"It's not. Kristoff said it's the real thing." Anna told her.

"Yes, but... how is this possible?" Elsa pondered. "I mean, I knew about the Crown Princess, but I never heard about this Princess Elsa. It has to be a mistake or something."

"Keep reading." Anna replied quietly. She turned to a later section in the book for Elsa. The blonde's eyebrows climbed.

"This is way too much to be a coincidence. It can't be real."

"Says the girl who can freeze things with a touch."

"Okay, good point." Elsa put the book down. "Is this why you didn't want to tell me about it?"

"Sort of." Anna sighed. "At first, it just seemed kinda weird. The coincidence, I mean. Then I got into the story, and I wanted to finish it. And then we started getting closer, and I know we weren't dating at the time, but I didn't want to drive you off or scare you. I'm sorry. I should have told you."

Elsa stared at the little book. Part of her wanted to still be mad, but the rest of her just wanted to put this behind her. Anna had accepted her, even her little... problem, and she didn't want to lose that. Didn't want to lose her. "No, I'm sorry. I... I guess I'm still a bit new to relationships myself. I haven't had much experience and I guess I overreacted."

Anna kept her head down, her voice quiet. "So... what now?"

"I'm not sure. I just... I wish we could just be like we were the other day. That was such a good day. Spending the day together, watching the movie, everything." Elsa sank back into the couch. "I'm so tired of messing everything up, overthinking things. I just want to be happy."

"I do too." Anna met her gaze. "I am sorry for not telling you earlier, especially after you trusted me with your secret."

The two sat there in silence for a while, before Anna moved to join the blonde on the couch. She twined her fingers through Elsa's, enjoying being able to do that without the gloves getting between them. Her thumb traced around the blonde's. She replayed the blonde's comment in her mind '_I want to be happy_'. She wanted that too. For the first time in forever, she found someone special, someone who genuinely cared about her, someone she cared about.

"I'm spending the day with Ariel and Mulan since they're only here for another few days, but would you like to meet up after dinner?" Anna offered.

"I'd love to." Elsa smiled at her.

* * *

_\- Four days later_ -

Anna hugged Ariel then stepped over to hug Mulan and Shang. She'd tagged along with Elsa as they took her friends to the bus depot for their trip back to Oslo then New York. With Kristoff still out with the other van, Elsa was taking a day off so she could drive them there. Her girlfriend was currently standing a few paces back, letting Anna give her friends a proper farewell.

Unfortunately, Elsa had been kept very busy the past few days, as she was the only senior member of the team left on site. She'd been stuck with managing everything, and so her time with Anna had been very limited. They'd worked around friends and supervising duties to squeeze in some opportunities to be alone, but it hadn't felt like enough for either of them. And while the tension that their respective secrets had brought was mostly gone, Anna still felt a little apprehensive. As much as she enjoyed having her friends here, she was looking forward to having more time alone with Elsa. She hoped they could recapture the feeling from their first date and the movie night.

"Keep me updated on how things are going, okay?" Ariel smiled at her. "And I'm not talking about your studies."

"I will." Anna promised.

"You better." The other redhead hugged her again. Looking more serious than usual, Ariel stepped back. "I really hope everything works out for you two."

"Me too." She agreed.

Ariel winked at her. "Plus, you gotta let me know when you two finally go all the way. 'Lan and I have a little bet going."

"I don't want to know." Anna grimaced, shutting her eyes tightly.

"So when you guys are gonna do it, try for a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, okay?"

"Ari!" Anna blushed furiously. "I said I didn't want to know!"

Ariel grinned. "Take care, Anna." Hugging her friend one last time, she headed towards the newly arrived bus, making room for Mulan. Shang was already at the bus, loading their luggage.

"Bye, Anna." The dark haired girl hugged her. She looked over to where Elsa stood. "I'm rooting for you. I want you two to be happy."

"Thank you." Anna returned the hug. "For everything."

"Good luck." She smiled and walked to the bus. The three friends waved to Anna before getting on board. Anna waved back, joining Elsa while they waited for the bus to head out.

When it was finally gone, she turned to the blonde standing next to her. "So, any plans for tonight?"

"Nothing much. I finished most of the paperwork yesterday. I only have maybe an hour or two of stuff to get through, then I'm done for the weekend." Elsa told her. "Do you have something in mind?"

"I was thinking another movie night, if you want?" Anna asked hopefully.

"Sure. You can pick one when we get back while I finish up my work." The blonde sighed, rubbing her neck. "I can't wait till the professor and Kristoff get back. I'm not a fan of this whole 'do the work of three people' thing."

They got in the van, Elsa driving them sedately back to the site. "How about I massage your neck while you finish those reports?" Anna suggested.

"That sounds nice." Elsa had a dreamy look on her face.

"Here to help." Anna grinned at her girlfriend.

Soon enough, they were back at the site. With most of the students gone, either on spring break or simply in town for the weekend, it was very quiet. Anna claimed the break room while Elsa retrieved her paperwork. She smiled when Elsa sat on the couch, sitting back against her. Anna started to massage the other girl's neck. "Feels good." Elsa whispered.

Anna brushed the platinum hair to one side and planted a gentle kiss on the exposed skin. "Yes, it does."

"I see you had ulterior motives when you suggested this." Elsa sighed happily.

"Well, if we both enjoy it, that only makes it better." She agreed. Her thumbs started to work the tight knot of muscles in Elsa's shoulders. The blonde leaned back into her, and Anna kissed her again. "And I'm liking this quite a bit." Anna purred.

"Good." The blonde hummed. She'd set the papers down, simply relaxing as Anna kept rubbing her. Her fingers dug into Elsa's shoulders, loosening the tension that had build up there over the past few days. She hadn't been exaggerating - she did like this quite a bit. And hopefully when Elsa was done with her work, they could do a little more besides.

Elsa finally made it through the last of the papers, setting it down with a grateful sigh. "At last..." She pulled Anna's hand down, kissing it. "Thank you, you made it so much easier."

"I'm glad." Anna shivered at the contact.

"My turn." Elsa motioned for Anna to swap places with her.

"You don't have to do this." Her protest was weak, small.

"I want to." Elsa held one ungloved hand out briefly in front of Anna. She could hear the smirk in the blonde's voice. "Call it practice, if you will."

"Sounds good." Anna relaxed into Elsa's hands. The blonde started on her shoulderblades, tracing the edge with her fingers before starting to massage them. Her hands gently worked the area, drifting slowly towards Anna's spine. _She can 'practice' as much as she wants, if it feels this good_...

She lost track of how long it lasted, content to simply enjoy the experience. Slowly, so slowly she barely noticed, her body turned until she was facing Elsa. The blonde's hands froze on her shoulders, her eyes locked on Anna's. The redhead leaned in, her lips brushing Elsa's once, twice. On the third, she pressed in, her mouth locking on the other girl's.

Anna slid even closer, getting further in Elsa's lap. Her arms snaked around the blonde's neck as she continued to kiss her. _So very good_. She kissed down to the blonde's jawline, then on to her neck. Her teeth teased Elsa's pulse point, nipping her lightly. The blonde moaned softly, her grip tightening on Anna's shoulders. One of Elsa's hands slipped down to Anna's hip. "Anna..." She hissed.

She didn't reply, only kissing at Elsa's neck. She gasped softly when she felt Elsa's hand slide under her shirt. The blonde gripped the bottom of the garmet and started tugging it upwards. When it was about halfway up her torso, Elsa stopped, meeting her gaze. "Can I...?"

Anna gulped. _Ariel is right, I need to stop being so nervous. I want this, and she does too. Just this, though. I'm still not ready for more._ She nodded, hoping Elsa didn't notice how anxious she was. The blonde hesitated a moment, but resumed her motion. Anna raised her arms, letting Elsa pull the shirt off. The blonde paused again, this time letting her eyes roam over Anna's chest, drinking in the sight. She reached out, her fingertips tracing the smooth skin of the redhead's stomach, travelling slowly upwards. Anna's breath caught when those fingers reached her bra, the touch sparking a fire in her even through the fabric. She leaned in, pressing her body closer to her girlfriend.

"Beautiful..." Elsa whispered. The blonde's other hand cupped her chin, tilting Anna's head down so she could kiss her. Anna eagerly captured those lips with her own, her tongue pressing against them, seeking entry to Elsa's mouth. Elsa moaned and Anna took the opportunity to slip her tongue in. She could feel the blonde's hands exploring her body, and it was driving her wild. She shivered in pleasure when Elsa's fingers traced her shoulders, gliding over her skin.

Anna sent her own hands to the buttons of Elsa's shirt. She needed to see Elsa the same way the blonde was seeing her. She eagerly opened them and the taller girl shrugged out of the shirt. Anna ran her eyes over the pale skin just revealed, drinking in the sight of Elsa in just her bra. "Wow..."

Anna's heart pounded in her chest. She knew she could stop things right now, and Elsa would accept it. She also knew that she didn't really want to stop, at least not yet. She bent down to kiss Elsa's neck again. She loved how the blonde would react when she did so. She nipped above the taller girl's pulse point, drawing out a soft moan. _Okay, she sounds so hot when she does that_. Anna's teeth teased her again, sending Elsa quivering in her arms as a louder moan escaped her. _So very hot_.

She ran one hand over Elsa's breasts, feeling the firm softness under the thin fabric of the bra. She squeezed gently, causing the blonde to groan yet again. Anna's other hand gripped Elsa's hip, her fingers digging in. She continued to kiss the blonde's neck, while Elsa's hands rubbed at Anna's back, gripping harder whenever the redhead's kisses would press in deeper. _This feels incredible... Elsa is incredible. Ariel is right, maybe I need to take a chance._

Anna slid off Elsa's lap, grinning at the frustrated groan the blonde let out. "This is revenge for last time, isn't it?" The taller girl glared at her, though the effect was spoiled by the flush of her face and the shallowness of her breathing.

"Hey, like you said then, 'not here', right?" She took Elsa's hand, pulling her up and leading her towards the dorm area. The blonde trailed along, pausing only to grab their shirts from the couch where they'd been discarded. The excited look on her face spurred Anna on, and the two girls were practically running by the time they reached Anna's room.

Elsa grabbed her hips, pulling her in for a passionate kiss that nearly melted Anna on the spot. They fumbled the door open, Anna tugging the blonde in before shutting the door behind them. She kissed Elsa again as they tumbled onto her bed. The taller girl ended up on top of Anna, gazing down into her eyes.

Anna's hands rested on Elsa's hips, just above her jeans. She loved how the blonde looked in the dim light of the room. Elsa's skin seemed to glow, pale and beautiful. Her hair shined, the loose strands of platinum catching Anna's eyes. _So beautiful and all mine_!

Her hands roamed to the blonde's back, slowly advancing upwards as she enjoyed the smooth skin under her touch. Her hands hesitated on Elsa's bra, a mirror of her actions almost a week ago. _We're alone, together... and I want to see more. I know she wants this too._ She let her fingers linger on the thin strip of fabric, building her courage. Anna took a deep breath then pinched the clasp. She tugged the ends while Elsa adjusted her arms, letting her slide the bra off.

If Anna thought Elsa had looked beautiful before, it was nothing compared to the sight of her now. Anna stared up at Elsa's bare breasts, drinking in every gentle curve. Those well rounded, pert breasts... The slight stipling of goosebumps on the pale flesh... The dark pink of her nipples pulled her eyes to them, taunting her with every shallow breath the blonde took.

They sat there, each locked in place, neither seeming to want to be the first to break the spell. _I have to know what she feels like. I want to touch her... feel her..._ Anna reached out slowly, not wanting to startle Elsa, but also not able to stop herself. When her fingertips encountered the warm skin, they both let out a moan. Elsa looked down at her, trembling. "Don't stop..."

Anna had no intention of stopping, but Elsa's permission stoked the fire already building in her core. There was something incredibly _hot_ about her girlfriend asking her for more. She gently cupped Elsa's breasts. She'd done it before, but this time felt different. Being able to see them, to watch Elsa's reactions as she touched and explored, took things to another level. Elsa's nipples poked her hands, hard points against her touch. Anna squezed them lightly, making the blonde gasp in pleasure.

She leaned in, kissing the top of Elsa's left breast. She could smell the light scent of her girlfriend, like a cool spring morning. Kissing Elsa, especially kissing her there, felt amazing. Her lips worked their way down towards the nipple, tasting the path to that glorious point. Her tongue flicked over the pink bud, causing the blonde to grip her shoulders tightly. "Anna... Anna..."

Anna kept up her explorations. Elsa writhed as the redhead touched and kissed her, letting out moans and gasps that drove Anna crazy. Eventually, she pulled back a little, catching her breath as she took stock of Elsa. The blonde was panting, her body trembling and her eyes unfocused.

"Elsa..." Anna stared up at her girlfriend. She was torn between continuing and trying to slow things down a bit. Though, looking at Elsa topless made it really hard for her to hold onto her reasons for slowing down. "I... I want to, but..." She gulped. "I'm not ready for more."

Elsa returned the gaze, a playful smile dancing across her face. "Can I at least see you, too? This is twice now for you, well, one and a half. I want a turn."

Anna's heart skipped a beat at that request. She managed to nod nervously. The eagerness that flashed in Elsa's eyes made her blush again. She arched her back, allowing the blonde access to the clasp of her bra. Those seeking fingers squeezed it, popping it open. Anna shrugged, helping Elsa take it off her before her arms covered her now-bare breasts.

"I need to see you, Anna." The blonde's voice purred. She leaned down to kiss Anna's neck before whispering in her ear. "Please, let me see you..."

Anna surrendered to Elsa's touch, allowing the blonde to pull her arms to the side. Elsa hovered for a moment, staring down at her. The happy smile that tugged the corners of her mouth sent excited shivers running all through Anna. "Perfect..."

Anna felt the blonde's fingertips brushing the tops of her breasts. Trembling, she turned her gaze on the other girl. The smile on Elsa's face grew even wider and she giggled softly. "What's so funny?"

"You have freckles all over." Elsa's finger continued to trace patterns on her chest. "I've wondered about that. They're beautiful." She leaned down lower, planting a kiss on the spot where her fingertip just left. "So beautiful." She kissed down more, her lips working their way towards Anna's nipple. Her hand had already reached the other one and was squeezing it gently. Electricity surged through her, pleasure spiking inside her core. _Oh. My. God._

Elsa's lips captured her nipple, teasing her hard point. Anna moaned, unable to hold it in anymore. "Elsa, I..." Elsa's tongue flicked over her nipple, drawing out another moan. Anna's fingers clenched the blonde's back, digging in as the taller girl continued to kiss her. She shivered, enjoying the pleasure coursing through her body. She lost track of time as the blonde kept up her assault.

When Elsa finally sat up to give her a break, Anna took a moment to try to collect her thoughts. She pulled Elsa down to her, hugging and kissing her. She cuddled against her girlfriend, burying her face in the taller girl's neck and drinking in the scent of the blonde. Elsa pulled her closer, holding her tighter in her embrace. Anna let the warmth of Elsa's body sink into her as they lay there together. The feel of her skin against Anna's own, those perky breasts pressing on her.

"Stay here with me tonight, Elsa." She whispered to the blonde girl.

"I will." The quiet reply was accompanied with another hug. The warm embrace carried Anna off to sleep...

* * *

\- _250 years ago_ -

"Prince Hans, the soldiers are ready, on your order." The captain in charge of the Church troops saluted.

Hans nodded to the man and signaled for him to get them moving, but the bulk of his attention was on the small box in his pocket. He still hadn't decided what he wanted to do with the vial Yzma gave him. On the one hand, if it worked as she promised, he'd have power that even his brother Magnus would envy. Power that would make him the clear successor to Father's throne. And more.

On the other hand, using it meant trusting Yzma...

_No, for now I will stay with my original plan. Capture Anna and use her to force Elsa to obey me. The potion will be a last resort only. I am not so desperate yet._ His eyes drifted to the Ice Palace. _Perhaps it might be worth it, but only if it works. And I trust that old witch about as far as I can throw Kronk._

"Good luck, Prince Hans." The old woman waved to him, and something in her smile caused him to shudder. _Anyone who trusts her deserves whatever happens to them. Maybe I should arrange an accident for her, too..._ Hans grinned at the thought. Waiting a few extra days had tried his patience, but word finally reached him from his special guard. Oleg had reported in at last. The man had been delayed, tying up some loose ends from his previous assignment.

It hadn't been easy to persuade King Agdar and Queen Idunn to visit Aurica in search of their 'kidnapped' daughter, but after a meeting with the Bishop, they'd left, intent on rescuing her from the evil magic of the 'Ice Witch'. And once they were on the road, it had been a simple matter for Oleg and some extremely well-paid mercenaries to intercept them. Any day now, the news would reach the castle, that 'Aurican mercenaries' had murdered the King and Queen. Of course, Oleg had then taken them time to ensure that none of the mercenaries would be contradicting that story...

Now that Crown Princess Anna was the only surviving member of the royal family, most of the Arendelle troops supported Hans in his efforts to 'rescue' her from Elsa. Even those who might otherwise have suspected him looked the other way. It was all too easy to cast the blame on Aurica and their evil Princess. While they might be scared of Elsa's magic, they were also determined to save Princess Anna. And once word reached them about the tragic fate of the king and queen...

Hans smiled. Soon he'd have Anna back and safely married to him, and Elsa under his control as well. Yzma's potion would serve as a backup plan, in case the Ice Witch got out of control. Once he solidified his grip on Arendelle, he could turn his attention to Aurica. Elsa would be his hostage or his weapon - either way, Aurica would fall. And after that, Father's throne would be his.

One way or another.

* * *

_Next Chapter: In the present, Anna and Elsa get closer, but problems are on the horizon for them. Also, more answers for Kristoff. Meanwhile, in the past, Hans launches his assault._

* * *

_A/N 1: I know I have Elsa forgiving Anna for the diary a bit easily, but she really does want to just be happy for once. Plus, there's a bit more about it coming soon... Mostly, I figured they've had enough trouble, they deserve a break._

_As for the past, big things will be happening..._

_A/N 2: Sorry for the delay in writing this one. Not only did I go back and redo large sections of it, but some real life stuff popped up, giving me very little time to write these past few weeks. I should have the next one up in a week or so, at this rate, but no guarantees. Also, for those who have asked, there will be probably 2-3 more and an epilogue._

_Thanks to everyone for your support!_


	18. Chapter 18 - All Fall Down

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 18 - All Fall Down

\- _250 years ago_ -

Hans watched the soldiers as they set up the camp. The divisions between the regular troops of Arendelle and those brought up from Oslo by the Church were obvious. The smaller group - the few Arendelle soldiers left that were not on the border - didn't trust the Church troops but were working with them to rescue the Princess. And the Church troops felt that the local should have never let the situation deteriorate as much as it had.

Balancing the two groups was proving tricky, as well as slowing down his plans. What should have been a short two day march now looked like it would take at least three. Still, tomorrow should see him close enough to the Ice Palace to begin planning the assault.

Of course, that would present more problems. If Elsa could make something like that in a single night, there was no telling what else she could do. Not to mention, the initial observations of the Palace showed only a single, narrow stairway leading to it. If it was defended, it would be almost impossible for them to force a way through.

Inevitably, that returned his thoughts to the box in his pocket. As much as he hated to think about it, it looked more and more likely that he'd have to use the potion. If it wasn't a poison - not something he could guarantee, considering it was made by Yzma - he'd still have to trust that it worked as she intended. And _that_ was no sure thing, either. Half the time, what she made only worked with side effects. Most of the other times, they produced entirely enexpected results. _Still, looking at that Palace makes me wonder... Maybe it is worth the chance.._.

Hans waved to the Captain of the Church guards. "Captain, I want you to send out scouts immediately. When we camp tomorrow, I want to know what we're facing."

"Yes, Highness." He saluted.

"They are not to engage or even enter the Palace, Captain. Merely observe and report." He reminded the man. "We have no idea what we'll find inside there."

"It's hard to forget, sire." The man shuddered, with a glance over his shoulder to where the Palace stood glinting on the horizon. "I'll make sure the instructions to our men are clear."

"One more thing, Captain. I want a courier dispatched back to the capital and then on to the Southern Isles." He removed the stopper of the vial and poured half the contents into a second, similar one. After closing both, he wound several layers of cloth around the second one. He added it to a small bag containing a book and some letters before passing it over to the captain. "This needs to reach there, undamaged."

"I have the perfect man for the job, Highness." He saluted again. "If you'll permit me, I'll send him out right away."

Hans returned his attention to the camp. Soon enough he'd have Anna and therefore Elsa under his control. And with them, Arendelle.

* * *

"Elsa! We need you! Now!" Rapunzel's voice carried through the door.

Elsa sat up from the bed, the urgency in the brunette's tone waking her quickly. She hastily conjured a dress with her magic while Anna stirred sleepily. Giving her wife a reassuring look, she rushed to the door and darted out. "What's going on?"

"You need to see this! Soldiers are here. Church guards, and Hans!" Her friend tugged Elsa's hand, dragging her towards the balcony. She pointed out the window to where banners could be spotted farther down the mountain, about a day's march she guessed. She counted at least thirty soldiers there, probably more.

Rapunzel turned to her. "I thought the plan you made with the trolls was that you'd scare them away. We can't fight them!"

"Let me think." She looked down towards the front of the Palace and drew on her magic. The stairway leading to the door crumbled into powdery snow that scattered along the drifts. "That should buy us some time."

"What can we do?" Eugene asked as he joined them at the window.

"I don't know, but if you have an idea, share it." Elsa stared out the window at the camp below them. "Do you think your friends the trolls can help? If we can get word to them."

"Not against that." He frowned. "And we'd have to go find them to ask. They might be watching us, but they'll definitely be hiding from the Church troops. So no, I don't think they can do much for us right now."

"Then what do we do?" Rapunzel was panicking. "What _can_ we do?"

Eugene faced Elsa. "Can you make anything that might hold them off somehow?"

"I don't know. I've never tried to do anything like that before." Elsa glanced back out the window to where the banners fluttered farther down the mountain. "I guess I'll have to try it. I only wish I didn't have to."

She spent most of the morning trying various things. First, she worked on weapons for them, but only Eugene was any good with them. Elsa herself could shoot ice spikes and other such conjurations, so she'd never really seen the need to train with more. Rapunzel decided to stick with her frying pan, while Anna was clumsy and uncoordinated.

"This isn't going to work." Eugene commented. "Three and a half of us will never hold them all off."

"Three and a half?" Elsa asked. Eugene didn't answer, merely nodding to where Anna had tripped yet again, sending her ice sword spinning. Her wife gave them a sheepish smile before picking up her weapon to try again. "Never mind, I see what you mean."

"We need some way to make up the difference in numbers." He returned his attention to the troops gathered below them. "If we can just hold out long enough, we'll win."

"I have an idea." Anna spoke up from behind them.

"Yes?" She asked her wife.

"Do you want to make a snowman?" Anna almost sang to her, her voice reminding Elsa of that day in the clearing.

"Anna, that's brilliant..." Elsa smiled. She considered the idea. "I mean, I've never tried it before, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. If I can figure out how, that is."

That evening, they reconvened in the main hall. Anna and Elsa had spent the afternoon working on her idea, while Rapunzel worked with Eugene, trying to figure out ways to shore up their defenses.

"So, any luck?" Rapunzel inquired.

"Sort of." Elsa waved to the doorway and the 'protector' she and Anna had come up with stepped into the room. The hulking snow monster cast an imposing presence over the area. "This was the best I could do."

"That..." The brunette gulped. When she resumed speaking, her voice was much quieter. "That definitely works."

"I call him Marshmallow." The redhead giggled.

"Your wife is weird." Eugene muttered to Elsa.

"Very." Elsa agreed quietly.

* * *

Hans smiled as he watched the troops milling about in the camp. Oleg had finally returned from his mission, bring word of the 'ambush' that had claimed the lives of the King and Queen. The Arendelle troops were outraged, driven to do something to avenge their fallen monarchs. The best part was, their leaders had turned to him, begging him to redouble his efforts to recover Crown Princess Anna.

The scouts had also rejoined his force, confirming his fears. There was only one door to the Palace, and the stairs they'd seen earlier were now... gone. Not ruined or fortified, but gone. Clearly, Elsa had a great deal of control over her ice. It was going to make this difficult. Very difficult.

"Highness, the men are getting anxious. We should attack soon, if we're going to." The Captain of the guard spoke up beside him. "It's going to take some time to get up there and inside, and we only have so much daylight."

"Agreed, Captain. You may give the order to proceed."

"Yes, Sire!" He barked out orders efficiently. When he returned, the satisfied smirk matched Hans' own. "It will be good to get revenge for the King and Queen. We won't let Aurica get away with this!"

"We certainly won't." It would be totally inappropriate to laugh right now, so Hans did his best to suppress his humor. _If only he knew..._ "Remind the men that we're going to need Princess Elsa alive, if possible. We'll need the leverage when we deal with Aurica."

"As you order, sire."

"Make it clear to them - no one harms the Princesses." He emphasized the point.

The man nodded and set about readying his weapons. Hans did the same, checking the small vial. He still hadn't decided if he was going to use it yet. Cursing Yzma yet again for giving him the damn thing, he slipped it back into his pocket. _Only if absolutely necessary. And even then, only if dying is the only other alternative. And maybe only if that death looks really, really painful._

* * *

Elsa sent another wave of ice slashing down the stairwell. Two of the Church troops fell, but the rest took cover behind the pillars at the base it. They dragged their wounded comrades out of the open, two of them launching bolts from their crossbows in her direction, causing her to duck down as well.

She hoped Marshmallow was keeping the rest of them busy, because it was all she could do to keep the few that had slipped by at the base of the stairwell. Eugene was with Rapunzel, watching the windows to make sure none of the enemy tried to climb up that way. Anna was here with her, guarding her back. The redhead kept her head down, trying her best to stay safe, despite the situation.

"Elsa! Behind us!" Anna sawed at a rope that had been cast up on a grapnel. Several others had also been flung up, and from the tugs, she could see that troops were obviously climbing.

"Get back." Elsa waved for her wife to back up. "I'll clear them." As soon as Anna leaned back, she shot a razor line of ice slicing through the ropes. Several curses of pain and surprise echoed from below. "Let me know if they try that again."

She resumed her efforts on keeping the stairway clear. The guards had taken advantage of the momentary distraction to try the stairs again and she sent them running back down as they dropped their weapons in their haste. Another wave of ice forced them back to the safety of the pillars. She ducked back behind the railing, catching her breath. Conjuring this much ice was taking its toll on her. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up. She could only hope it would be enough.

"Elsa, back here - _mgghghhgh!_" Anna's panicked call whipped her head around.

"I would be very careful where you fling your ice, Princess Elsa." Hans' smug grin matched his tone as he held Anna in front of him like a shield. "I'm tired and cold from climbing that pillar, I would hate to slip and have something... unfortunate happen. Wouldn't you?"

"Let her go, Hans." Elsa's hands glowed as her magic gathered in response to her anger and fear.

"Now why would I do that? I'm here to rescue my fiancee, after all." He moved to get further behind the redhead.

"I have no intention of letting you out of here with _my_ wife!" Elsa growled.

"So, you're not content with just your magic as a perversion?" Hans laughed derisively. "Don't worry, as long as you cooperate, I... may decide to let you see her from time to time. Now why don't you do us both a favor and surrender?"

A ring of spikes grew from the floor at Elsa's feet, jutting menacingly in his direction. "Not a chance. Give her back and you can take your men and leave, I promise!"

"It appears we have a stalemate, then." Hans gloated. "At least until my men finish with your little snow project below. I must say, if you can come up with that nasty in just a few days, I can't wait to see what you'll help make for me."

"_Mnnnngngdffhddh._" Anna yelled into Hans' hand as she struggled against his grip.

"Not now, _sweetheart_. Let your betters talk." He squeezed his hand tighter over her mouth. Anna stomped down on his foot, drawing out a curse. She struggled in his grip, ramming an elbow into his gut and twisting to get free. Elsa ran towards them, intent on helping her wife. Anna bit down on the hand covering his mouth. "Aahhhhhhhh!"

Hans instinctively shoved Anna away from himself as he clutched his wounded hand. Elsa watched in horror as the redhead slammed into the railing and tumbled over. A muffled thump of a body hitting the ground echoed up a moment later.

Then silence.

The quiet of the room was only broken by the blizzard that sprung up suddenly. The wind howled outside the Ice Palace as sheets of snow hammered down. She peered over the railing, easily spotting her wife laying on the ground. But her neck was turned the wrong way, and she could see no signs of her breathing. Even the blood pooling around her from where a discarded weapon had stabbed her leg had stopped spreading.

"No!" Elsa's magic glowed around her hands, pulsing out of her control, but she no longer cared about control. She turned towards Hans...

* * *

\- _Seconds after the opening of Chapter 1_ -

"I am going to kill you!" Elsa growled from across the room.

Hans struggled up from where he'd been flung after his attempt with the crossbow had failed. Elsa simply melted the ice before it could even touch her. The wave of ice she'd sent his way had tossed him across the room, slamming him into the wall and opening a deep gash in his leg. Grimacing, he reached down to his pocket and took out the vial. _It appears I have no choice left._

He popped the cork out from the vial, and before he could stop himself, he drank it down in one gulp. As expected, it tasted horrible. Absolutely horrible. Like the sweepings from the stables during a humid summer, except worse. The way it burned down his throat, he thought for sure he would die. But the burning subsided, leaving a strange, uncomfortable warmth flowing through him.

"_Hans!_" Elsa's voice was barely intelligible. He barely got out of the way before a razor of ice cut through where he'd just been standing. "Die!"

He raised his sword, slashing an awkward cut in her direction so she'd back off. The potion still had him shaking a bit, and he struggled to steady himself. It was making his vision a bit fuzzy, and purple was tasting... a bit like cotton. Yzma's disembodied voice whispered in his ear. _'Now just let her cast her magic on you...'_

_Like hell!_ He thought back at the 'voice'. He might have used the potion, but just standing there and letting her stab him with one of those ice spikes seemed like a really stupid idea. Another spear of ice sped by his face. Granted, he might not have much choice about that at this rate.

"Die!" Tears streamed down Elsa's face, at odds with the rage twisting her expression and the heat in her voice. Another lance sped by him, coming so close he could feel the chill from it as it passed.

Then Hans noticed something that truly frightened him. The Palace trembled, reflecting its creator's anger. Cracks appeared in the nearby wall, spreading rapidly to the floor. Out the window, he saw the remains of a balcony tumble by. Potion or no potion, he was sure he would never survive if it collapsed. He needed to end this now.

Once more he struggled to his feet and held his sword in an unsteady hand. Forcing himself into motion, he charged at Elsa. But his wounds slowed him a little too much, and the tugging sensation in his chest swiftly grew to a chilling pain.

He felt the cold spreading outwards, his whole body stiffening up. Blue, the deep blue of ice, shot out in lines, spiderwebbing from where the spike was lodged in his chest. He'd stopped moving. Even his eyes wouldn't shift. They remained locked on Elsa as the blonde walked slowly towards him. Elsa's magic continued to stream into him as she advanced on him. If he could have laughed, he would have. Yzma's potion had worked exactly as she promised. He was absorbing Elsa's magic, all right.

It was freezing him solid.

The pain grew worse and worse as the cold intensified. Elsa stopped a pace away, watching his transformation. Her voice, when she spoke, sounded odd, muffled. "I only wish I'd done this long ago."

* * *

Elsa tapped her finger on the ice statue that only moments before had been Prince Hans. She hadn't expected this - honestly, she'd been trying her best to kill him. But the look of horror on his face was perfect. He was frozen solid. She could feel the ice, and she knew that the prince was finished. He would get to be a statue forever, to pay for what he'd done to Anna.

Anna.

Elsa started down the stairs, intent on getting to her wife. The last two of the Church guards at the bottom raced towards her, but she swatted them away with massive arcs of ice spikes, slamming them into the walls. They slid down, unconscious or dead, Elsa didn't care. The only thing that mattered was lying in a pool of her own blood, unmoving.

"Anna..." She reached out cautiously, praying to any god or gods that might be listening for a miracle. But the flesh her fingers encountered was cold to the touch. No breath stirred the chest. And the eyes stared unblinking at the ceiling, already dulled and empty of their usual cheer.

"Anna." She clutched the cooling body to her. "Anna, please. You can't leave me, not like this. Please, please, come back to me."

"Anna! Elsa! What's happening?" Rapunzel called as she raced down the stairs, looking around for the two girls. When she spotted Elsa cradling Anna, she gasped and started towards them. "Anna! Is... Is she...?"

"Anna, please..." Elsa paid no attention to the brunette. Tears continued to flow down her face as she held Anna.

"Elsa." Rapunzel put her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Elsa, tell me what happened. Please, tell me what happened to her."

"Hans." Elsa bit out. The floor rippled in response to her rage. "He killed her."

"He..." The brunette tried to get her to rise, but she refused to leave Anna. "Elsa, we have to get out of here. Something is going wrong with this place."

"I'm not leaving her." The blonde hugged the body closer.

"Elsa, we have to go. Now!" Rapunzel pulled at her again.

"No!" Spikes of ice grew threateningly around her. "I... I can't!"

Eugene had joined them and he took hold of Elsa's other arm, ignoring the ice. "Elsa, you have to. She wouldn't want you to die here too."

"No!" Elsa screamed. "No! I can't leave her! Let me go!"

Her friends ignored her cries, dragging her towards the doors. The flung the doors open, stopping when they saw the blizzard raging outside. "Elsa, can you stop this?"

"No." She replied dully. She couldn't stop the snow. Not that she cared about it right now. Anna was dead. Nothing mattered now. Her Anna was gone. The whole world could freeze, for all she cared. She'd lost her Anna. Why did she want to stop this?

"We need stairs then. Some way to get us all down." Rapunzel edged back from the doorway. "We can't get down the ropes, not now."

Elsa waved a hand, the magic reluctant to heed her now. It wanted to lash out, to hurt, to destroy. Building things, using fine control, was almost beyond her. The stairs that formed from her power were not the elegant set that had originally connected the palace to the mountain, but a simple set of blocks leading to the doorway.

Her friends pulled her down the stairs, and she let them, not caring enough to resist anymore. Anna was gone. What happened next no longer mattered to her. It wouldn't bring Anna back. The snow whipped around her, something she could have probably stopped, but she couldn't summon the energy to do so right now.

Hans' troops had fled the area already, none of them willing to stick around with the blizzard raging and their leader gone. The three of them slowly made their way through the snow piling up on the ground, Elsa not bothering to pay attention to where Eugene lead them. When they finally stopped, he turned to her. "It's getting too dark to continue. We're gonna need some shelter for the night." He tapped her shoulder. "Elsa!"

She didn't reply, only calling up a small dome for them to camp in for the night. Rapunzel tried to talk to her, but she stayed quiet. It didn't matter anymore.

Anna was gone.

* * *

\- _Two days later_ -

Elsa sat down on the log on the edge of the troll clearing, pain spiking through her as she spotted the arch where she'd married Anna only a little while ago. She hurt so much, and she couldn't seem to make it stop. Everything she saw kept reminding her of Anna. Her Anna. She could feel the tears starting again.

"Elsa, you have to eat something." Rapunzel sat down next to her on the log.

"Why." It was barely a question. She honestly didn't care if she ate ever again. She didn't see the point.

"Killing yourself won't bring her back." She glared hatefully at the brunette, but the other girl continued talking. "Anna wouldn't want you to die too."

"I..." Elsa tried to speak, but Rapunzel spoke over her.

"We need you, too. This storm is growing larger and larger. You have to stop it. And we need you to help us deal with whatever Hans has done back in the capital." The brunette let her own pain show. "We all miss her, Elsa. But we can't do this without you. Please, help us."

"It hurts so much." Elsa hugged herself. "I... Everything I see reminds me of her. I can't think right anymore. I just want it all to stop."

"I know." Rapunzel put an arm around her shoulder, drawing her into a comforting hug. "She was my best friend, Elsa. I've known... I knew her all my life. I miss her so much. You're not alone, Elsa. We're here for you."

"I don't know what to do anymore." The tears flowed again. "I would do anything to see her again, just one more time."

"I know." The brunette repeated. "But you do need to eat something. We need you, Elsa. We can't lose you, too."

"I'm sorry." Elsa cried as she finally returned the embrace. "I just... I love her, so much. How can I live without her?"

"We're here for you. We'll help you, whatever you need." Rapunzel told her.

"Make it stop. Can you do that?" She begged.

"It well get better, but you have to let us help you." The brunette consoled her.

"I'll try." Elsa promised.

"First, eat." Rapunzel passed her some bread and cheese, as well as one of their canteens. The blonde mechanically ate, more to stop the other girl bothering her about it than from any real hunger. When she was finished, the brunette stowed away the leftovers for later. "Better?"

"Yes." She lied. She didn't feel full. She'd eaten the food, but she couldn't recall the taste of it at all. She still felt empty, dead inside. Anna should be here with her. "I'll try to sleep now. Maybe I can do something about the snow in the morning."

"Okay." Rapunzel squeezed her arm. "Remember, we're here for you."

"Thank you." Elsa wasn't looking forward to sleep. But she'd promised to try. Laying down in the small dome she'd fashioned from the snow, she let her nightmares claim her.

* * *

_Elsa ran towards the railing, reaching it too late to save Anna. The redhead has already fallen over it, landing with a sickening crunch from below. Anna's head, twisted at an unnatural angle, stares up at her, those piercing green eyes accusing her. Blood is already spreading from the body._

_"Why didn't you save me?" Anna's voice begs her._

_Elsa had no answer for that. She stabbed Hans with her ice as the traitorous prince tried to take her while she was distracted._

_"You could have let me have her. If you'd surrendered, she'd still be alive." Even as a now-frozen statue, he smirked at her. "It wouldn't be so bad. I only want you as a weapon, after all."_

_She snarled and lashed out with her ice, severing his head from the rest of the statue. It bounced along the floor before landing at her feet. "I mean, really. Look at Arendelle. I just wanted to rule it. _You're _burying it under more snow than any ten winters ever."_

_"Shut up!" She kicked the head, sending it spinning into a wall where it shattered into hundreds of shards of ice._

_"He's right, you know." Anna chided her from where she lay dead. "If you don't stop this, you'll kill my people. You'll let them die. Just like you let me die."_

_"I didn't.. Anna, I... I tried to save you! I love you!" She clutched her wife's body to her._

_"Not enough, apparently. If you really loved me, you wouldn't have let me die."_

_"Anna..."_

_"Leave me alone, Elsa. I would have been better off if I'd never met you." The redhead accused her. Her body melted into snow before reforming at the top of the balcony. Once again, Hans pushed her off, sending her crashing down to die right in front of Elsa. "See? Your fault."_

_"Anna!" Her arms slid through the form in front of her. "Please, I need you!"_

* * *

"Anna!" Elsa sat up from where she'd been sleeping in the ice dome, the cry startling Rapunzel from her rest. "Anna!"

"Elsa, calm down! It's only a dream." Rapunzel stared at her, concerned. The brunette rushed over to her side, holding her friend while she cried. "You're awake now, it's over."

"I killed her, Punz." Elsa wept. "It's my fault she's dead."

"No you didn't. This disaster is Hans. It's all Hans." Rapunzel told her firmly. "Don't you dare take the blame for what that bastard did."

"I should have surrendered." The blonde sighed. "She'd still be alive if I had."

"You'd both be in Hans' hands. What he'd do to you and the kingdom, I don't want to think about." The brunette replied. "Would you want that? Him with your wife every night? With you, if he chose? Would you want to be forced to kill people because he commanded you?" Rapunzel let the horror of those options sink in. "You did more than anyone could have expected. You saved her from Hans, you tried to defend her. It's not your fault, truly."

"I..."

"_Hans_ killed her, not you. Hans attacked us. Hans set you up, started the rumors of you as the Ice Witch." Rapunzel continued. "It all goes back to him. Not you. Even if you'd never come to Arendelle, Hans would still have done his best to ruin our kingdom."

"Punz, I... I love her so much." Elsa sat in the bed, staring vacantly towards the door of the ice dome. "I should have... should have... I failed her."

"You did your best. Elsa, truly no one could have done more. It's proper to grieve for her, but don't take the blame for her death on your shoulders as well." She pushed her friend back down on the blankets. "Rest. We're here for you, but you have to take our help."

Elsa let her lay her back down, looking more fragile than Rapunzel could ever remember seeing her. She barely protested as the brunette pulled the blanket back over her. After she settled her friend, she rejoined Eugene. She kept her voice down so she didn't wake the sleeping blonde. "We have to do something to help her."

"What can we do? How do we fix something like this?" He replied, equally quietly.

"I don't know." She shrugged at her husband. "This is beyond what I know, but we better figure something out and fast." She gestured at the still-falling snow. "If this keeps going..."

"True." He shivered.

"It's worse than you know." Bulda spoke up from beside them. Rapunzel jumped a little, having missed the troll's approach. "Elsa isn't the one causing this, at least not intentionally. There's some dark magic lingering around her, flowing back towards the capital. That's what is making her powers go out of control."

"Someone is making this happen? How is that possible?" She asked the troll.

"Dark magic. Whoever is causing this used dark magic to do it and it's lingered on Elsa. It latched onto her pain and anger. I imagine they gave Hans something to use on her and it didn't quite work as expected."

"Can you fix it?" Rapunzel frowned.

"Our magic doesn't really work that way. We don't have much that can break dark magic. I hate to add to her problems, but it's going to be up to Elsa to find a way."

"I'm not sure she can handle that right now." The brunette admitted. "And please don't tell her, it might be too much for her, on top of everything else."

"We know." The troll sighed. "We hate how badly everything spiraled out of control. All we wanted was for you all to get free, to be able to live happily."

"If you can't stop the dark magic, can you at least do something to help Elsa?" Eugene asked.

"We can try, but she has to want to heal. We can't simply make her better."

"So what? Just let her suffer? Even if we manage to find and deal with whoever is causing this, will she care enough to stop it? Would you risk that?" Rapunzel demanded.

Bulda frowned. "Wait here a minute." She rolled over to where Pabbie was watching Elsa from across the clearing. She pulled the other troll into a brief, hushed conversation. The older troll pointed from the blonde to them and back, Bulda nodding to something he said. They talked for a few more minutes before both of them rolling over to Rapunzel and Eugene.

"Bulda told me your concerns." The older troll began. "We agree that Elsa needs help, but there is little we can do for her right now. She would have to want to accept our help, and right now there is only one thing that she wants. And that is beyond our power to give her."

"Then how can we help?" The brunette sighed. "How can you?"

"We cannot help her, not now, but with your aid, we might be able to do something to help her in the future." The older troll shot them both a meaningful glance. "You might not like it, but it might make things better."

"Why do you need us? We don't have any magic or anything." She pointed out.

"You're her friends. Anna's friends. You care about Elsa, you cared about Anna. There's a strength in that. Do you believe in fate? That destiny is real? That their story hasn't ended yet?"

"Maybe." Rapunzel replied doubtfully. "But if you can't bring back Anna, I don't see how this matters."

"We can make sure that the next time they live again, they would have a second chance. We can let them try again."

"That sounds... I don't know." Eugene shook his head. "You'd force them to... well..."

"We would force nothing." Pabbie reassured him. "We would never make them do that. No, all we would do is make sure their fates link up when they are reborn. After that, it would be up to them. And with your help, maybe give them a nudge in the right direction."

"If we have to wait for them to be reborn, won't we be, y'know, too old or dead...?" Her husband asked the troll.

"He means our children or grandchildren." Rapunzel elbowed him, whispering harshly. She was glad Eugene missed her deep blush.

"But we don't have any children." Eugene replied, missing her hint.

"Umm... not yet, but..." Rapunzel patted her stomach.

"You're..." He stuttered.

"I wasn't sure before, but it's pretty certain now. I'm guessing it happened after the welcome party for Elsa and her father-" She cut off as he swept her into a tight embrace. She kissed him, and for a while they forgot about their troubles and recent sadness.

"Congratulations, you two." Pabbie smiled at them, as did Bulda.

"Yes, congratulations!"

"Thanks." Rapunzel hugged the two trolls. "When you say a nudge, what did you mean?"

"Just that. When the time is right, give them a little help. We'll do the same. Eugene told us you kept a journal?" She nodded. "We'll use that to anchor the spell. It will take time, probably a great deal of time, but their fates will draw them together again. Hopefully, when that happens, things will be different."

"And all you want from us is to watch and... encourage?" She clarified.

"Yes. No controlling, nothing like that. Just give them the best chance possible."

She waited for Eugene's nod before agreeing herself. "Then we're in. If it will really help Elsa... and Anna, I guess... We'll do it."

"Good." Pabbie rumbled. "Now that leaves two problems - well, one problem, really."

"The weather." Eugene agreed. "And whoever is causing this."

"Right."

* * *

Elsa ignored the way her friends kept looking her way, knowing that whatever they discussed was about her. At least they weren't bothering her with whatever they talked about. No doubt it would be another attempt for her to stop the summer-turned-winter, but she was sure it would fail. She was still too empty inside fight through whatever was influencing her powers. Without Anna...

Without Anna, her soul was stuck in a permanent winter of its own.

Elsa watched the snowflakes drifting down from the sky. A part of her liked that the sky itself mourned Anna as well. It was right that the world cried for her love.

"Elsa." She looked up to find Rapunzel and Bulda had wandered over to where she sat. Both of them seemed anxious, causing her to sigh. Without a doubt she was going to hate whatever they were about to say. "We need to talk."

"Nothing good ever comes from those words." She muttered to herself, then louder. "What is it now?"

"We need to finish this."

"What is there to finish? Hans is dead, his followers on the run." Elsa laughed bitterly, hysterically. "We won. Aren't you happy enough with that?"

"Elsa." Rapunzel replied flatly. She pointed to the sky, to the grey clouds hanging low, the snow swirling down to the ground. "It's not done. We have to stop that."

"I've tried." She sighed. "I can't. I don't know why, but I can't."

"We know. The trolls say someone else is behind the dark magic. Someone else wanted this storm to happen. Or at least, wanted Hans to mess up your powers." The brunette sat down beside Elsa. "We have to put it right."

"How do you expect me to do that? If I can't stop my own magic, how can I stop someone else's?"

"We have to try. Otherwise, the whole country will freeze."

"Fine." Elsa forced herself to her feet. "I'll go with you and see what I can do about it. After... I don't know."

"We have some ideas about that, too." Her friend also rose to stand beside her. "We'll talk about it when we're back."

"Let's get this over with." Elsa gathered what little she had.

* * *

\- _Two days later_ -

The snow fell from the sky harder than ever, slowing their travel to the capital more than expected. While Elsa wasn't bothered by it, Rapunzel and Eugene struggled to make decent time through the storm. What should have taken most of a day instead cost them two, and even then it was only thanks to Elsa's powers that they'd made it there at all.

_Anna..._ Elsa shivered, not from the cold but instead as a memory flashed through her mind, Anna tumbling over the edge of the balcony... _Please God, if you are real, please make this stop. I can't live like this_.

She absently ate the trail rations Rapunzel handed her, not bothering to pay attention to what she was eating. It didn't matter. One more empty detail, and if her friend hadn't insisted, she wouldn't have done even that.

"Elsa." Rapunzel called to her, drawing her to her feet. "We're almost there. Can you feel where whoever is causing this is?"

She closed her eyes, letting her power flow out and following its path. She pointed to the palace, towards the guest wing. She could feel the... darkness, for lack of a better term, drawing it there. It tugged at her, pulling at her mind, but compared to the still raw emotional wounds she felt, it was nothing, a whisper in the midst of a storm.

She tried to mimic the quiet step Eugene moved with, but he had years of practice over her. She did her best to stay quiet and follow along, though there seemed to be little need. Few people remained in the palace after Hans' coup, and now with the storm raging, fewer still stayed.

"Through there." Elsa pointed to one of the doors farther down the hallway.

"You sure?" He asked, not doubting her, but rather seeking certainty.

"Very." She confirmed. She could feel the whatever-it-was tugging on her magic even through the door. The closer she got, the stronger the pull. "Whatever this thing is that the trolls say is messing up my magic is beyond this door."

"Okay, let's finish this." Rapunzel brandished her frying pan.

"On three?" Eugene looked to them from beside the door. Elsa nodded to him, Rapunzel adding her own agreement a moment later. "One - two - three!"

They slammed the doors open, revealing two people. One of them, younger, bigger and stupid-looking, turned to the old woman next to him. "Yzma, I thought we were leaving soon. I didn't make enough for guests for dinner."

"Kronk, you idiot." The old woman sighed. "Have you forgotten lesson Eighteen? Visitors knock, enemies burst in."

"I thought Eighteen was Proper Fork Placement?" The big man scratched his head.

"That was Seven."

"_Psst_. Are you sure this is the right room, Elsa?" Rapunzel whispered.

"Yes. This is it." Elsa replied.

"Right, okay." Kronk turned to them. "Well, if you're not guests, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I only made enough spinach puffs for the two of us."

"Are you the one behind this?" Elsa called up her magic, flaring the blue glow around her hand as she glared at the old woman.

"No, I'm in front of you." Kronk frowned. "I remember that lesson, Basic Directions."

"Kronk..." Yzma slapped the back of his head. "They were talking to me. Now, stop trying to think, you'll only hurt yourself."

"Right, stop thinking... done." The big man straightened cheerfully.

The old woman returned her attention to the three friends. "You're here because dear old Hansie did something that messed up your magic. He must have let my potion sit for too long. Oh well. I'm guessing he's dead if you're here and you still have your power."

"Hans is dead." Elsa bit out. "And if you're the one behind this, I - "

"You'll do nothing." Yzma held up a small vial, a faint green glow pulsing in it. "If I drop this, you'll never stop this winter. Your magic will continue to spiral out of control."

"Give it to me." She demanded.

"I think not." The old woman advanced on them, holding the vial in front of herself like a shield. "Kronk and I will be leaving now. Once we're safely out of the palace, we'll put this somewhere for you to find."

"Sorry, that doesn't work for us." Rapunzel waved the frying pan in their direction, halting the pair in their tracks. "If you were helping Hans, we can't trust you."

"What she said." Elsa agreed.

"Well then, we appear to be at an impasse." Yzma's lips thinned.

"Actually, we're in a room." Kronk corrected her. "I make that mistake all the time."

"You'll freeze too if we don't stop this." The blonde pointed out.

"She has a point, Yzma." The large man nodded along with what Elsa said.

"Kronk!"

"What? I don't want to freeze. I didn't bring my winter clothes."

"Anyway, ignoring the moron, we have a stalemate. You want the vial, I want to leave." The old woman waved the vial their way. "And I'm sure you don't trust me any more than I trust you."

"That's obvious." Rapunzel muttered.

"Give us the vial and you can go." Elsa gritted her teeth. She hated promising that much to anyone who helped Hans, but this was more important. "I promise."

"Your friends too." Yzma pointed at Eugene and Rapunzel.

"Agreed." Elsa bit out. "Leave your potion on the table and get out."

"All right." She placed it on the table. "Kronk, get our things, we're leaving."

"Before dinner?"

"Kronk! The bags! Let's go." Yzma glared.

"This really is the antidote for what Hans did?" Elsa eyed the vial, cautiously picking it up off the table.

"Oh yes, it will fix everything." The old woman grinned evilly. "You won't have any problems anymore."

"Don't drink it, Elsa." Eugene blocked Yzma's path with a sword. "It's probably poison or something."

"I already packed all the poisons." Kronk broke in helpfully. "But Yzma's other potions don't usually work the way she intends, anyway."

"I just said it would have stopped your problems. I never said _how_." Yzma frowned at Kronk. "I guess you'll just have to take a chance. Now, your promise."

Elsa clenched her fists. "You can leave, but as the wife of the Crown Princess, your ship is now seized in reparation for crimes against Arendelle." She noted Eugene's smirk and Rapunzel's proud smile. "You two can walk out of here."

"Gee, maybe you better tell us more about that vial." Eugene added. "Since if it doesn't work, you're going to be walking through this storm."

Yzma's expression faltered. "I don't know how exactly to fix this. Hans let the potion sit for too long or altered it somehow. I do not know why it went wrong, but it really is continually drawing your magic out. What I made is not a poison. I have no wish for this storm to spread and grow, and if you die, there's no guarantee that it will stop. You wanted the truth, there it is - that potion is an antidote to what I made originally, but I'm not sure that it will work."

Elsa gripped the vial. "This is a lot to gamble on a 'maybe'."

"Life always is." The old woman motioned to her assistant. "Kronk, get our things. Let's go." The pair nodded to the friends, and headed to the door. She paused at the entrance. "You should know, Hans sent a messenger back to the Southern Isles. I don't know what the message was, but I can only assume it might have to do with you."

"Why tell me this now?" She asked.

"Because I really do want to leave. And because I despise Hans' brothers more than you." The old woman smiled sourly. "I have had enough of cold. Come on, Kronk, we're leaving."

"You're really letting them go?" Rapunzel whispered to her.

"I gave my word." Elsa sighed. "And we do have to stop whatever is happening."

"Not arguing that bit."

"I just want this done with, Punz." The blonde tucked the vial in a pouch on her belt. "I don't know how much longer I can hold it together."

"Only a bit more, Elsa." The brunette led her back through the halls. "I want the trolls to take a look at whatever that old witch gave you before you do anything with it."

* * *

_\- Later_ -

It took them the better part of two more days to make it back to the troll clearing, and that was only thanks to Elsa using her powers to clear as much of the way as possible. She did her best to ignore the presence of the vial the old witch had given her. It tempted her, but somehow she doubted there was going to be an easy solution to this whole mess.

So when she had the opportunity, she passed it over to Pabbie and Bulda, shivering in relief once she was rid of it. Now, if only it worked and the weather return to normal...

"I still don't like this." Eugene spoke up beside her.

"Who does?" She replied quietly.

"Be honest with me - do you think this 'cure' is real?" He asked.

"No, I don't. I wish I did, but I don't." She sighed. "We'll have to find another way."

"I was afraid you'd say that." He slumped down beside her. "Punz thinks it's for real, but... that witch works for Hans' family. Just because he's dead, doesn't mean that they're finished. I can't trust anything made by him or his friends."

"Yeah." Elsa agreed.

"If it doesn't work... what then?"

_What then, indeed..._

Rapunzel noted the quiet conversation between Eugene and Elsa but she was busy with the trolls. She wanted to make sure her plan would be taken care of, regardless of what the result of the potion was. Anna deserved it, as did Elsa. No matter what happened, she would see that they had another chance to be happy together.

"Bulda, here's the journal, you said you wanted it for your spell." She handed the small book over to the female troll while Pabbie was busy taking another look at the potion. She choked up a little. "I don't think I could write anything more in it anyway. Not after... after..."

"... Anna."

"Yeah." The brunette sighed unhappily. "Take it, do what you need to."

"We'll bind the magic to this and to them. It will guide them back together, and then fade. It will be up to them after that. They'll have a chance, and, if you're still willing, you and your descendants can help them make the most of it."

"Thank you, Bulda." She hugged the troll. "Now let's get Elsa's magic fixed so we have one less thing to worry about."

"That... won't be so easy." Pabbie joined their conversation. He held up the potion. "There is some good news and some bad."

"Of course there is." Rapunzel slumped down. "Tell me."

"The good news is, this will stop her magic from going any more out of control." He held up a hand to stop her before she could say anything to interrupt. "The bad news is, it won't fix her powers. This storm will still keep going."

"Then how -"

"I know how." Elsa's quiet, sad voice cut through their discussion. She took the vial from Pabbie, frowning at the potion. "It's safe?"

"For the most part, yes."

"Good." She uncorked it and downed it, wincing at the foul taste. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Rapunzel asked, confused.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. This has to end, so I'm going back to the Ice Palace and finishing this once and for all." Something in her voice worried the brunette. "Punz, you need to get anyone left in the capital out, in case this doesn't work."

"Elsa, you... don't do this. Please don't do this." Her heart caught in her throat. "You can't..."

"It's the only way." The blonde gathered her blanket, clearly done with the discussion. "I'll head out in the morning. Save everyone you can."

"Elsa..."

"Goodnight." The other girl curled up in her bedroll.

"What was that about?" Eugene walked over to her.

"..." She shook her head, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She couldn't force the words out, instead clinging to her husband.

* * *

\- _Later _-

Elsa made good time back to the North Mountain. With no one else to worry about, she was able to cut the trip to practically nothing. Her powers, as promised, had stopped increasing. But, also as Pabbie had warned her, she was unable to do anything about the storm. She had her control back, but she couldn't stop what was already going on.

The ruins of the Ice Palace greeted her as she crested the rise. Most of the first floor was intact, though riddled with cracks and rents. The upper levels had caved in, the majority having fallen down the mountain. The blocks she'd conjured up for their escape were still there, fortunately.

Her fingers trailed along the remnants of one of the railings. Anna had loved the detail she'd put into making them, the roses etched in the ice, the snowflake patterns on the posts. She'd insisted on sliding down it, despite the cold, and she'd made Elsa join her. After the redhead had toppled on top of her, she remembered staring up into those beautiful green eyes...

Elsa shook her head, clearing away the memories. She would soon have all the time she could want for her memories. She shoved one of the doors to the side, stepping past some rubble so she could head inside the palace.

Her legs gave out under her when she found where Anna lay. The cold and ice had preserved her, and she looked almost the same as the last time Elsa had seen her. Her wife was untouched by the rubble, but not the cold. The blood around her head had frozen, and a thin layer of frost gathered on the body.

The pack slid off her shoulders unnoticed. She fell to her knees beside Anna's body, her hand reaching out hesitantly towards her. The frost melted away at her touch, but not even her powers could restore life... "I'm so sorry, Anna... I should have been able to do something, anything. I would do anything to have you back."

She looked over to where the frozen Hans lay in several chunks. If the cold hadn't killed him, the fall and subsequent shattering would have. "I should have done something to him long before this. If I had, we wouldn't be in this situation now."

She stood back up on unsteady legs. "I can't help you now, but I can do one last thing. I can stop the storm and save your people. I wish... I'm sorry Anna, but this is all I can do now."

Elsa closed her eyes, drawing on her power more than she ever had before. For the first time in her life, she didn't hold back, didn't control, didn't stop. She let the magic flow into her, through her. The cold gathered inside her, welling up. It started to hurt, stretching at every part of her.

"Goodbye Anna. If there is a God, I hope he lets us be together in whatever is waiting for us." The magic strained against her body, trying to escape, but she kept pulling in more. Goodbye Rapunzel, Eugene..."

When she could no longer stand, when she was no longer aware of anything beyond the magic, she gasped, one final breath leaving her.

Then she let it all go.

* * *

\- _The same time_ -

Rapunzel swung her gaze to the North Mountain as the flash of blue light draw her attention. A brilliant azure glow consumed the ruins of the Ice Palace, stabbing up towards the heavens. A tornado of snow swirled down, digging into the ruins and growing stronger and stronger. She turned to her husband, who was loading the last cart of refugees from the southern docks. "Eugene, we need to go, now!"

"I see it! Everyone on the cart! We have to get out of here!" He helped the last few scramble on the cart and flicked the reins, spurring the horse into motion.

Rapunzel kept her eyes on the storm that moved towards the capital. It looked slow, but she knew that was deceptive. If they weren't quick, it would catch them too. The clouds darkened and the winds picked up.

They were a few miles away from the capital when the snow finally hit the palace. It had slowed, and with luck, it would stop soon. Otherwise... She did her best not to dwell on that. If it didn't stop, there was nothing she could do about it.

Eventually, with night drawing on quickly, they were forced to camp. Eugene posted a watch, mostly to keep an eye on the weather, but she was too exhausted to pay much attention. She quickly fell asleep.

She was glad when the morning light showed them that the storm had halted about half a mile past the capital. The clouds had parted, sinking low on the North Mountain. There was no sign of the Ice Palace at all. Nothing but a fresh coating of snow.

"Goodbye, Elsa." She whispered. "I promise, I'll make sure you get your chance to have Anna back."

* * *

_**Next Chapter: What happened between then and now.**_

* * *

_A/N 1: I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. Real life was incredibly hectic for a while, between a new job and a move and a nasty case of writer's block all hitting at once, so I had very little time at all to write, and when I tried, I couldn't seem to get anything out. The next chapter will be out much sooner than this one, though probably not as fast as the first few. Much thanks to everyone for sticking with it and putting up with the delays!_

_A/N 2: I'm glad to finally get this one out, I got stuck several times at various places. I'm still not happy with parts, so I might change it later. I'll post if I do._

_Thanks again for all your support!_


	19. Chapter 19 - Ships in the Night

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 19 - Ships in the Night

\- _213 years ago_ -

Lady Elsa Androv strolled through the Summer Palace, followed at a distance by her attendants. The days dragged on and on while she... vacationed... here. She didn't care that visiting alone spread rumors of her activities. She didn't care that the other rumors, those of her husband having various lovers were true. She loathed the man and took every chance she could to be away from him. He returned her feelings and the two had come to an unspoken agreement very shortly after their marriage. As long as neither publicly humiliated the other, they stayed out of the other's way as much as possible, only appearing together when necessary. Rumor might make things awkward from time to time, but as long as they maintained favor with the court, neither cared.

Her latest dalliance awaited her in the sitting room. Unfortunately, like all the others before her, this one lacked some vital fire, some spark. Elsa enjoyed spending time with her, but when she tried to picture the woman at her side in the future, she simply couldn't. Someone else should be there, but for the life of her, she didn't know who it might be.

Still, Elsa indulged herself when she could. The redhead was rather talented in bed, and was a decent conversationalist, so at least Elsa didn't find herself bored. She did her best to return the affection the other woman showed her, but couldn't shake the feeling that the wrong woman was with her.

In her dreams, Elsa saw _her_. A different redhead, slightly shorter than Elsa herself, with lots of freckles and an infectious smile. One time, she posed for a sketch, the redhead doing her best to capture the lines of her figure on paper. It had felt so real, her anticipation growing as the other girl finished her work. She loved watching her draw, and looked forward to seeing what was on the page. And to kissing her afterward...

There was another dream, where she and redhead made love in a clearing in the forest. It was tender and slightly awkward, and somehow Elsa knew it had been the first time for both of them. That particular dream always managed to wake her and leave her... frustrated. While she could relieve her arousal with whatever companion currently shared her bed, the sex always felt especially hollow after she had that dream.

Unfortunately, there were also the nightmares. At least once or twice a month she suffered through a terrible one where a brown haired man shoved the redhead off a balcony, sending her falling to her death. Every time - every single time - she reached the edge only to find the other girl staring back at her with unseeing eyes, the life stolen from her body.

That one woke her in a cold sweat each time, tears streaming down her face. The next day after that would be torture for her. She'd banish her attendants from her presence, sealing herself away from everyone as best she could until she could compose herself.

Even though she hated that one, she could live with it if it was the price of the others. A shadow of a dream was still preferable to the emptiness she felt in the waking world. She loved the nameless redhead, truly loved her. No matter how she felt after one of those dreams, she looked forward to them. Those feelings made the nightmare especially painful, however.

_Am I silly for loving someone I know only in a dream? I flit from one hollow relationship to another, but none of them are her, so I never bother to really try. They can't match her, not even close. My heart only wants her._ She let the thought carry her past the sitting room, no doubt disappointing her latest conquest. While she regretted the missed opportunity briefly, she knew pleasure would be beyond her today.

Elsa dismissed her servants from her chambers, not wanting anyone to bother her for a while. She shut the doors behind herself and took a seat at her desk. She picked up the latest novel she'd started, but found she couldn't concentrate on the book for very long. Visions of the redhead danced through her mind, teasing her with glimpses of what she might have one day.

_If only I knew her name..._

* * *

\- _192 years ago_ -

Prince Daniel of the Southern Isles yawned. He saw little point in having to suffer through these stupid history lessons. Maybe if they were about something useful he might care, but why did he have to learn about his uncles and great-uncles who had failed in their bids for the crown?

"Who cares why my stupid great-uncle Hans was posthumously exiled?" He asked the tutor. "He got killed, embarrassed the family. Why should I bother with a loser like that?"

"It's important, Highness. That 'loser' is why the Southern Isles are still paying reparations to Aurica and Corona." The man patiently explained. "He also very nearly had your father assassinated. If not for Councillor Yzma, he would have used Arendelle as a base to launch a coup and take over the Isles."

"Fine, thrill me with the details." He put his feet up on the desk, grinning at the wince of the tutor as dirt flaked off the boots and scattered on the papers.

He did his best to ignore most of the following lecture. Hans assassinated the king and queen of Arendelle, but failed to capture the Princess. He also plotted against the neighboring countries and tried to rouse the Church against them. Then his secret alliance with the Ice Witch backfired when she betrayed him and froze the country. The survivors of Arendelle, allied with Aurica and Corona, threatened the Southern Isles with a blockade.

King Roland, who had occupied the throne at the time -having just claimed it when his father had suddenly died - had to negotiate with the other nations, as he was busy dealing with one of Crown Prince Mikal's assassination plots. Daniel had little sympathy for his grandfather. Anyone who let themselves be bullied because a few amateur assassins tried to kill them didn't deserve to hold any real power. His own brothers and cousins had been trying to kill him off and on since he was six, after all.

He also had little sympathy for anyone who trusted Councillor Yzma. The woman gave him the creeps. No one knew how old she was, but she never seemed to just go ahead and die like most everyone hoped. No, she just hung around, and thanks to the favors she'd built up, no one could really get rid of her.

So Daniel listened when she entered the story, hoping for something to help him he would inevitably have to deal with her.

He sighed. There were rumors that before he'd died, Hans had stolen something magical from Yzma. Daniel doubted it was true, but if it was, he'd have to look for it. It might be the key to claiming the throne when his father died. _Too bad this fool doesn't know anything truly useful. If he could tell me the truth, help me find something magic... Ah well._

Daniel let his thoughts drown out the rest of the lecture. _Some day, I will rule, and the Southern Isles will reclaim what we've lost!_

* * *

\- _177 years ago _-

Anna Isregaard surveyed her latest haul. The street thief grinned broadly as she counted the coins on the table. The purse she'd nabbed easily carried enough to feed her for a month. Stashing the majority of it in her hiding spot, she pocketed the remainder and headed for the market. She intended to get some new clothes and a hot meal, as well as a room in one of the better inns. It was a risk - if the wrong guard spotted her, she'd have to run for it - but she wanted to celebrate tonight.

The market bustled with activity, but Anna resisted the urge to pick any pockets. She didn't want to draw attention to herself, not after her biggest score yet. She settled on one of the smaller stores, and while the proprieter didn't like serving her, the extra coins she slipped the man convinced him to give her a private fitting. Once she'd gotten her new clothes, her stomach demanded some attention.

Music poured out of the Fang and Flagon, and the delicious smell of cooking beef wafted from the doors, teasing her appetite. She pushed the doors open and scanned the room briefly, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that no guards were taking their ease inside. She entered and claimed a table in the corner that gave her a good view of the doorway as well as close proximity to the kitchen door in case she had to escape in a hurry.

Anna ignored the offers of several inebriated men to join them. She had little interest in that kind of companionship. Truthfully, the pretty blonde barmaid was much more her type. She'd always had a thing for tall blondes, after all.

The evening passed rather enjoyably for Anna. While she occaisionally had to get rid of a couple of the more persistent men, she was able to relax for the night. Hot food and a real bed had her feeling good about life. That and the knowledge that she still had enough money to last the rest of the month.

The next day, she found herself back in the market. A few more scores like the one yesterday and she could lay low for the rest of the year. Maybe even book passage far away, somewhere she could start fresh. France perhaps, or even America. Some place that no one would have heard of her. With that idea in mind, she busied herself casing the next target.

After a few days she went in. The job itself was easy thanks to all her planning, but unfortunately one of the night watchmen spotted her leaving and chased for a bit. While she managed to elude him, he caught a good enough glimpse of her to plaster her face on wanted posters throughout the city. She was forced to stay low and even avoid her usual companions. While most of them would protect her, the reward offered for her capture was large enough that she didn't feel safe tempting fate.

She found herself hiding backstage in one of the city's more prominent theatres. A stagehand with a gambling problem had no trouble renting out his room to her for a large fee as well as the promise of more later. She then used the key he'd given her for the theatre itself to find a spot in the attic to hide, certain that he'd rat her out. When he did, the constables searched the room and, not finding any sign of her, tossed the weasel in jail for a few days for trying to scam the reward from them.

Still, the increased activity meant hiring passage on a ship was out for the time being. The stagehand proved it was simply too risky for her to try right now. Soon enough though, something else would happen and the guards' efforts would turn from her to a new target. In the meantime, she did her best to keep from being bored.

That proved less difficult than she expected. One night, late after a performance, one of the actresses found Anna hiding and, rather than turn her in to the guard, invited her to stay with her. The woman had apparently noticed Anna a few days earlier, and had been gathering her courage before talking to the redhead.

Anna found herself looking forward to spending time with Tiana. The woman was a very talented actress, and had seen much of the world while on tour. She liked acting, but what she really wanted to do was open a restaurant. If her current performance tour continued to be a success, she planned on trying in a year or two.

Anna enjoyed listening to her plans. It was nice to know someone who didn't have to watch for guards, who wanted nothing more than to chase her dreams. She encouraged Tiana and wished she could help her, but the other woman didn't want to accept stolen money.

For the next few weeks, they stayed together, though both knew that it wouldn't be permanent. Tiana managed to get Anna cover as an understudy so she could accompany the troupe to England and away from the city.

The crowd on the last day was the largest yet. The nobles flocked to the performance, even visiting ones and those from the embassies. Tiana nudged Anna after the fifth time she caught the redhead staring at one of the boxes. "Anna, do you know her? You keep staring at her."

With a start, Anna tore her attention from the elderly russian noblewoman, the old woman's face lined and sorrowful. "No, I've never seen her before tonight. But... I would swear I know her, though that's impossible."

"This is the first time she's been here. I'm not sure who she is, aside from the wife of one of the diplomats." Tiana eyed the older woman.

"I see." Anna made a point of focusing on the other guests, trying to ignore the jealous looks of her companion. "Are you ready for this? It's the big night."

"Am I ready? How about you? You're the one who's going to have to find a way past the guards at the docks and onto the ship." Tiana teased her.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be there." She reassured the other woman. Anna gathered her few possessions and headed for the exit. She gave the box with the sad-looking noblewoman one last glance. _Who is she?_

* * *

_\- 168 years ago -_

Karloff Bjorgmann wiped the sweat off his brow and sat down on the log on the edge of the troll clearing. It was the first time he'd visited on his own, as his father had finally decided he was old enough to come here on his own. He knew the way well - he'd been following his father for years.

Most of the time they came by to tell the trolls about the events outside the area, but sometimes they were summoned to help with various things or because the trolls wanted to share tales of the Great Storm.

The last time he'd been here, it had been the summer solstice. Unlike most people, the celebration the trolls hosted was much more somber. They would recount the tale of the Princesses, from their first meeting to the fight at the end against Prince Hans. Other stories concerned his great-grandparents and their promise to help reunite the princesses when their fates lined up again. He liked listening to it, even if it was pretty sad. Karloff could only hope that one day he'd find someone right for him, like they had or his great-grandparents.

Sometimes - though he would never admit it to his parents - he wondered if the stories were really true. Sure, there was the huge glacier that was where they said the castle should be, and he visited real, live trolls on a regular basis, but still.

_I wish the trolls would tell me more about what exactly happened back then. I know they want us to keep an eye out for signs of the Princesses being reborn since they can't exactly go out around town. I just want to know why they're so insistent on making this reunion happen._

Karloff waited while the trolls rolled up. Maybe someday he'd find out the truth...

* * *

\- _154 years ago_ -

Elsa North gasped in pain as yet another rock struck home, raising a nasty bruise on her arm. Reluctantly, she called up her magic, building a wall of ice between herself and the townsfolk. Two more rocks crunched into the wall, then another, but after that no more missiles assaulted her. Making sure to keep an eye out behind her, she set off down the trail, not really caring where she ended up.

The fifteen year old stumbled along for a while before she finally collapsed, resting under the shade of a nearby tree. No food, no water - though that was easily fixable; all she needed to do was draw forth more ice and let it melt - no horse, no change of clothes, no money. In one day, she'd lost everything thanks to her cursed powers.

_That's not the only reason._ Elsa's thoughts bitterly recalled other incidents. _My preferences did little to ingratiate me with the rest of the town, though as long as I hid them, they were willing to pretend otherwise. This curse is too much for them, though. There is no way they can ignore this._

Elsa rested for a few minutes then forced herself back to her feet. She couldn't sleep yet, not while she was still so close to town. Odds were good that they'd send out a search party once they could gather enough volunteers from those not scared of her curse. The last thing she wanted was to be dragged back there or worse.

So she continued, following the trail until the fading light made further travel unwise. She searched around before finding a fallen tree with enough room to shelter her. She curled up, her tattered jacket inadequate to cover everything but still better than nothing. Elsa wasn't cold - one of the few good things about her curse was that she never truly got cold - but the clouds had hung around all day, threatening rain.

Sure enough, God or whoever else was watching her decided her life wasn't miserable enough because the rain started mere minutes after she settled in. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a lightning strike briefly lit up the night. Elsa tried to ignore the weather, but the rain grew steadily worse and worse. When her shelter started to fill with water, she reluctantly left it to seek out safer ground.

Eventually she managed to find another covering, this one high enough that it shouldn't flood. Unfortunately, by that point her clothes were thoroughly soaked and clung to her unpleasantly. She did her best to wring out as much water as she could, but it was a futile matter, given how the storm showed no signs of abating any time soon.

She drew upon her curse, fashioning a small shelter for herself. It wouldn't last long, not if the rain continued the way it seemed to be going, but it only had to make it to morning. Elsa sighed and huddled uder the temporary cover, doing her best to sleep while she could.

Daylight stabbed at her eyes as the sun crested the hills, waking her from the fitful sleep she'd managed to reach. Her stomach also complained, but there was nothing she could do about that right now. Pulling herself to her feet, she got back on the trail, wanting to put a few more miles between herself and town before noon. She was still sore from walking yesterday, but with the weather clearing, she knew that riders would be sent out soon enough.

_I know I won't be lucky enough to elude them forever. All I want is for them to just leave me alone. Why can't I just be happy in my life?_

* * *

_\- 136 years ago_ -

Anna Smith tugged her friend Olaf through the streets of Chicago. They ducked past several carriages as they headed to the park. The fresh spring air was a welcome change from the harsh winter they'd suffered through, and the two friends intended to enjoy it as much as possible. A band was performing under one of the pavillions, and with some persistence the pair claimed a spot under a nearby tree.

Anna smoothed her dress out while Olaf unpacked their lunch. Several men sent the attractive redhead appreciative glances, but the presence of her companion dissuaded them from approaching her, something she was grateful for.

"Anna, did you want one sandwich or two?" Olaf asked her.

"Two." She laughed lightly. "Olaf, you know me better than that. Did you really have to ask?"

"It's only polite." He grinned back at her. He took a deep breath. "Don't you just love springtime? And summer! I can't wait until summer."

"I don't know. Winter isn't so bad. I love ice skating." Anna turned her attention to the band. "Though I do agree that spring has its advantages."

They sat for a time, chatting while the band played on. While Anna truly enjoyed spending time with Olaf, a part of her felt like someone else should be with her. She should be sharing the blanket with... Anna didn't know. She just knew that out there, the right person for her was there. If only Anna could find her.

_Her_.

That particular detail was something that only Olaf and a few other friends of hers knew. Her parents stayed out of her affairs for the most part, but such a revelation would embarrass them deeply if it was made public. So she played her part, attending outings with various suitors without committing to any of them. Fortunately, her parents didn't press her on the matter, so she didn't have to worry on it yet.

"_Anna_... You're thinking about it again." Olaf chided her. "You promised me today we'd relax and have fun."

"I know, I know. Sorry, Olaf." She let her eyes follow one rather fetching blonde.

"Go talk to her." He nudged her when he noticed what she was focused on.

"There are too many people around." Anna protested.

"So you're going to let another one get away?" Olaf sighed. "Anna... You have to take some chances if you want to be happy."

"If someone tells my parents..." She brought out her usual defense.

"Anna, no one knows we're out here today. Come on, forget your worries, just let it go."

"Well, maybe..." She did like how the dress hugged the blonde's waist, after all. And she always did have a weakness for tall blondes...

* * *

_\- 121 years ago_ -

Alester Southisle frowned in disgust at the sight of the two women sharing a picnic in the park across from where he waited for his business partner. He'd seen the redhead around before, always with some companion - female companion, and usually blonde. Despite his repeated complaints, she still managed to turn up in the park on a regular basis. Her and that disgusting albino friend of hers.

Alester could only hope their depravity didn't influence his son Hans the wrong way. Lord knew the boy was weak enough. The last thing he needed was for his son to see immoral behavior like this. Hans would never hold the company together if he didn't toughen up and realize that new didn't always mean better.

_Curse Grandfather for getting exiled! It took Father years to build Southisle industries up from nothing. If we'd still had the money, the influence... As well wish that Hans would show even a sliver of talent for this business._

"Alester." That voice still sent shivers down his spine. Madame Yzma's crooked smile certainly did little to alleviate the involuntary shudders running down his back. _And why can't she just die already? She worked for Grandfather forever, surely she can't live that much longer!_

"Madame, thank you for meeting me." He set his briefcase on the table. "I have a business proposal for you that I think you'll find very intriguing..." He went about his presentation, doing his best to ignore the chills the old woman's presence gave him. Unfortunately, as much as he hated her, she was the only connection left with the royal family he had left. He needed her access to money and contacts, so that meant suffering through meetings like this. From the wide smirk she openly wore, she knew it too.

"Of course." She snapped her fingers and her latest Kronk (she kept calling them that, though this was the fourth one he'd met so far) gathered the papers and brought them over to her. She took her time reading them, going over various pages multiple times simply to make him wait. He ground his teeth but had no choice except to put up with it.

Finally, she looked up from the papers. "It appears like everything is in order. I wonder though, what is in this venture for me?"

"I would point out that if we are successful, you stand to make a great deal of money." Alester hated this part - the bargaining.

"I have money. More than I'll ever need." Yzma waved him to continue. "No, I'm afraid if you want me to back you, to risk angering your... relatives, I'll need a little more."

"What?" He asked her warily.

"Make me your son's mentor." She held up a hand to cut off his objection. "You know right now he's too weak to succeed you. Besides, I'll be able to provide him with contacts he'd never be able to talk to normally."

"You... No." Alester stood up, gathering his papers. "I'm sorry for wasting your time. Good day, Madame."

"Alester... sit back down." The steel in her voice matched the thin grimace she wore.

"No thank you."

"I wasn't asking." She motioned to the chair. "Sit. Down."

Reluctantly, he sat. "Why Hans?"

"Why did you name him Hans? I know it's a family name, but to name him after such a failure?" Yzma asked him.

"Because it annoyed Grandfather. He blamed his uncle for all the trouble the family got into. I figure anyone Grandfather hated couldn't be all bad." Alester admitted.

"Ahh, petty slights and maneuvering... Business as usual when dealing with your family." She chuckled. "Very well, you may keep the boy, but know that we're done. No more favors."

"I can live with that." Never having to see her again sounded very good.

"You might change your mind later."

"I doubt it." He made to stand up. "Are we finished here?"

"Yes." He didn't like her smile. "Good luck with your little business."

Alester walked back to his apartment. He worried that this wasn't over. Somehow, he doubted that this would be the end of her meddling...

* * *

\- 97_ years ago_ -

Anna Morgan sighed. Yet another rejection. She couldn't seem to catch a break, not when the rumors kept following her. It seemed like everyone knew she'd been caught in bed with another woman, and the story kept spreading. She'd already been let go from her job as a secretary, and her boss apparently wasn't satisfied with simply firing her. He wanted to ruin her.

Maybe if he'd treated his wife better, she wouldn't have been looking for happiness elsewhere. And okay, she could have been a bit more discreet. Using his desk probably wasn't the smartest idea in the first place.

She should have known better, though. A straight girl looking for a little relief would never be interested in anything long term. And of course, once they'd gotten caught, Melissa blamed everything on her. She claimed that Anna had taken advantage of her, lied to her and forced her into sex.

Anna denied it, and fortunately her husband actually believed that part, since Melissa had slept around before. This was the first time with a woman, however.

Anna tossed herself on the bed. Maybe tomorrow would be better...

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She wasn't expecting anyone, but her friends had been dropping by from time to time, trying to help. Perhaps Aladdin had convinced his father to find her a position at his firm. "One minute please."

She readied herself, making sure she looked presentable. "Coming!"

She opened the door and blinked. Her boss - ex-boss now, she guessed - stood there. "Mr Wilson. What are you doing here?"

"She's leaving me, Miss Morgan." His voice was strained, tired. "She said you told her she deserved better. Apparently, she agreed." He trembled. "It's your fault."

"Sir... I never... She did this on her own." Anna protested.

"You encouraged her." His hand withdrew from his pocket, holding a pistol. His other hand shoved the door wide open. "I can't forgive this."

"No!" She tried to get out of the way.

The gun fired.

* * *

\- _81 years ago_ -

Hans Southisle II tossed the report on his desk. He wanted to toss the document out the window, but the paper was probably worth more than his whole company right now. Hell, just looking at the numbers probably made him poorer. He'd never seen so many red numbers...

_Why couldn't Grandfather Alester have just decided to cooperate with Yzma? Every time I try to pull us out of debt, she ruins my plans, just like she did for Father and Grandfather. I still don't know why exactly he cut ties with her, but she is really holding a grudge. She seems determined to keep us poor._

Not for the first time, he considered opening the box his father had stored at the bank. The first Hans, the one from 170 years ago, had left it for them. It was something from Yzma, something magic, and that was reason enough for them to leave it alone. So far, no one had been desperate enough open it. Anything from Yzma had to be cursed.

_What would you do?_ He mentally asked his ancestor. _You screwed everything up and got exiled posthumously from the Kingdom of the Southern Isles. You left this with us for a reason. It's not that I don't trust you, but you did fail and die the first time you messed with her magic. As much as I wish it would fix our problems, I have no desire to end up like you. The box can sit and rot. I'll find another way._

His great-great-whatever ancestor's journal made it pretty clear that he'd tried too hard to take over Arendelle (wherever that was - records on it were pretty sparse) and failed miserably somehow. Yzma had 'helped' him, and from what Hans II could guess, that was the reason the original Hans had failed so horribly.

He'd met the old woman a few times, and every time she'd simply given him a wide, hungry smile and then some noncommittal replies to his requests. All in all, she creeped him out.

Hans stared out the window, taking in the view. He wasn't sure how muuch longer he was going to be able to keep this office and he wanted to enjoy it while he could. Part of him secretly hoped that Grandfather's company would fail. Let him start fresh. Build his own life, free from past complications.

It was a tempting thought...

* * *

\- _5 years ago _-

Elsa Lynse stared blankly at the back of the seat in front of her on the plane. It was so typical. Even when he was sending her to college across the country so he could pretend like things were still normal with her, he'd insisted on paying for a first class ticket for her. Of course the Lynse family had to keep up appearances.

She was looking forward to college, more since she was finally going to get away from her family and Belle than for any other reason. The last she'd seen of her parents, her father was instructing their driver to drop her at the airport while her mother was inside, crying yet again. As for Belle... she refused to dwell on that disaster.

Elsa sighed and tried to focus on New York. She was getting a fresh start. Maybe, just maybe it wouldn't suck as bad as high school did. Though, after the past year or so, it could hardly get any worse. She didn't think anything could be worse than Gay Camp and private school where everyone knew exactly why she'd been sent there.

New York, though, would be different. No one would know anything about her. She could lose herself there, be just one more new student. Maybe, just maybe, things would work out for her...

* * *

\- _3 and a half years ago_ -

Hans Southisle the fifth snuck into his grandfather's study, cautiously checking beforehand to make sure that it was empty. He wanted to get another look at the old journal he'd spotted the last time he snuck in there. It had to be at least a hundred years old, probably more. And from the way Grandfather had yelled at him, it had to be important. His sister said that it was from the original Hans, the one who'd been exiled from the Southern Isles all those long years ago.

Family legend had it that it held secrets about Old Yzma's magic, that he'd figured out some secret and she killed him for it. Privately, Hans always had his doubts about that. Magic wasn't real, after all. And there was no way that the Yzma he'd been told about was the same one from two hundred and fifty years ago. That was even more impossible.

Still, he had to know.

The book was kept in a locked drawer, but Hans knew where the key was. Grandfather kept all the keys for things like this hidden in a small candy bowl on the shelf, tucked away behind a flower vase. _Grandfather is so cliche. I'm surprised the book isn't in a safe behind a painting over the mantle._

Once he opened the drawer, he was a bit disappointed by what he saw. All that he found was an old journal, well worn by repeated readings, and a few yellowed sketches. He briefly looked at the sketches, but they all seemed to be of the same woman. She was beautiful in a regal, distant kind of way. It was obvious that whoever had drawn them had been in love with the woman.

Hans put the drawings aside and picked up the journal, thumbing it open. The first section dealt mostly with his musings on his family back in the Southern Isles. His brothers were all assholes and his father was controlling and cold. A few parts talked about one of his brothers who apparently used magic, but it was more like Hans was writing down something widely known than actually explaining what he did. Another section also talked about Yzma, but it was impossible that it could be the same woman. Perhaps it was like his family, where some names were passed down from generation to generation.

He kept reading and soon got to the story of the original Hans' arrival in the kingdom of Arendelle. How he arranged for a trade deal with the ruling family. And how it was to be sealed with a marriage to the Crown Princess, Anna. How the princess despised him and did her best to put off the marriage. The arrival of Princess Elsa from neighboring Aurica.

That was where things got really interesting. His ancestor talked about spying on the two princesses, finding out about their affair. He also detailed his discovery of Elsa's magic. Watching her craft her ice scuptures. Taking the ice rose. Showing the rose to the bishop to get the Church to help out. Capturing Princess Anna when she tried to end the marriage contract. Yzma's visit and her offer. Assaulting the Ice Castle after the princess escaped.

The journal ended with a final entry, written just before the attack on the castle. His ancestor told about a potion, half of what Yzma had given him. Supposedly, it had the ability to steal magic from someone else. He sent it away as insurance, in case his plan failed. Also, in case Yzma betrayed him. If it could steal magic from one person, he wrote, surely it would work on another...

If it was true, it put a whole new light on the family legends. If the original Hans intended to betray Yzma and she found out, she would have killed him or worse, assuming that that Yzma was anything like the one he was familiar with. A final scrap of paper, tucked in the back of the book, had been written by his great-great grandfather. The half of the potion was held in the safe deposit box in the family name.

Hans set the book down. If the potion was really there, then maybe the rest of the story was true as well. If the Yzma he knew was _that_ Yzma, then perhaps his ancestor really had been trying to get his hands on magic.

He needed to check out that safe deposit box. If the potion was there, he'd have a lot of family stories to reconsider...

* * *

_\- 2 years ago_ -

Anna Frostad bounced on the edge of her seat as the car approached New York. She was off to college at last! And she was getting to room with Ariel, her best friend from high school. This was going to be so great! Now all she needed was a boyfriend and life would be perfect!

She'd dated some during high school, but it never really worked out for her. Ariel kept saying her standards were too high, but Anna would always reply that it was better than ending up with a loser. She needed someone just right. The spark between them, that magical, perfect feeling of love. She needed that, and she was willing to wait for it.

Anna grinned. Ariel could tease her all she wanted, but she wasn't about to let her friend's comments to get to her. She couldn't wait.

* * *

\- _1 year ago_ -

Elsa froze in the doorway of the restaurant. If she turned around now, she could leave before anyone spotted -

"Elsa! Get back in here." Colette's firm voice sent a shiver down her spine, stopping her before she could make her escape. The angry glint simmering in her eyes rooted Elsa in place. Clearly her friend knew that she'd intended to get out of her date... "You don't get to run away from this."

"I'm really not ready for this, Colette." She pleaded with her friend. "I don't think I can do this..."

"Tough." The brunette pushed her further into the restaurant. "You're doing this. Go have fun. Have a real date. Give her a chance."

Elsa gulped and shoved her feelings down deep. _Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel..._

_It won't be like Belle._

_Nothing could be that bad._

_Agreed. We can do this. It's just one date, we made it through that during high school just fine._

_I don't want to..._

_I'm not sure I do either, but if we don't, Colette will get mad, and she's scary._

_I know._

_So, let's do this. One date._

_Okay._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_... Do you think we're ever going to find the right person for us? I mean, we asked Nikki out because Kris and Colette kept pushing us to go on a date, but we know she's not really what we want._

_..._

_Well?_

_... I know, but we have to try._

_Yeah, it just doesn't feel right._

_I agree. But, how are we going to know when it is right?_

_I guess we just will._

Elsa gulped and walked to the table, putting on a well-practiced smile. One more 'date'. She could make it through this. And at least this time, it was her choice.

* * *

\- _6 months ago_ -

Anna sighed and crumpled up the form. Pulling a fresh copy from the stack on her desk, she started filling it out again. She did her best to concentrate this time and not make any more mistakes. She only had ten more blanks after all.

She'd been surprised when she spotted the flyer advertising the opening for an undergrad assistant. One of the positions listed was at the new research site at the Arendelle ruins. She'd been hearing a number of stories about the ruins since she got to New York, and it had fascinated her. So she grabbed a bunch of copies and rushed back to her room to start filling it out.

Anna couldn't wait. She had a good feeling about this opportunity.

* * *

_**Next Chapter: Back to the present for good! Things wrap up.**_

* * *

_A/N: This one took a bit longer than I expected, mostly due to all the different viewpoints. Lots and lots of rewrites on various sections..._

_Anyway, I'm glad I got it finished at last, and I've already started on ch 20. That's going to be the last chapter, then maybe (probably) an epilogue. Thanks as always for reading!_


	20. Chapter 20 - Choice

_A/N: Sorry for the long, long delay getting this one out. Writers block plus real life tag teamed me again. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with it! This is the last official chapter, though there will most likely be an epilogue, if I can stay ahead of the writer's block._

_A/N 2: Smut ahead. You have been warned. Then again, Elsa and Anna have earned this..._

* * *

**Wings of Ice**

Chapter 20 - Choices

\- _Present day_ -

Anna yawned. The sunlight poking through the small gaps in the window blinds was urging her to get up, but she really didn't want to. She felt so warm and comfy where she was and only wanted to stay in bed. Of course, that might have something to do with who was beside her right then...

Elsa's breath softly tickled her hair and neck as the blonde unconsciously snuggled closer to her while she slept. One warm arm slipped across her chest, hugging Anna. Anna grinned and turned towards her girlfriend, slipping deeper into the embrace. If she could wake up like this every day, life would be perfect.

She gently kissed the blonde's cheek, drawing a sleepy smile from the other girl. Elsa _hmmm'd_ and squeezed Anna. "Morning."

"Good morning, Elsa." She lightly kissed the tall girl's lips. "I like this."

"Me too." Elsa hugged Anna. _Oh yeah, I want this every day_.

As she returned the hug, Anna couldn't help but notice that the blonde still didn't have her top on. Of course, she didn't have hers on either, but that was a small side issue. Elsa was very... distracting at the moment. Anna let her hand slide up Elsa's back, her fingers drifting across the silky skin.

The blonde smiled at her, sending flutters through Anna's stomach. Of course, just when she was about to say something, that same stomach decided that it wanted some attention too. She knew she was blushing, but she couldn't help it. Elsa giggled too. "I guess we better feed you."

"I'm... uh, I so don't want to move right now." Anna blushed, looking down to Elsa's chest. Her eyes traced the gentle swell of the blonde's breasts, lingering on the rosy pink nipples. _Holy... she's so... wow._ Breakfast seemed rather unimportant right now. Anything that involved moving from the bed was a bad idea.

"I don't think I do, either." Elsa confessed. Her delicate fingers slid across Anna's torso, and the redhead gulped. She couldn't decide if she wanted the blonde to go up or down from there. Either way would be just fine with her...

Elsa seemed to read her mind. Her hand slowly drifted up, inching closer and closer to her breasts. Just when they were about to reach their destination, the blonde shot her a wicked grin and stopped moving her fingers. She whispered. "Time to get up."

"You... you... _tease!_" Anna huffed. "That is just evil."

Elsa leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I promise, we'll pick this up later. Right now, we both could use some food."

"Elsa..." Anna replied huskily. She met Elsa's eyes and all her reasons for waiting, her hangups just melted away. _Elsa, I want you, like seriously want you, but I'm not sure how to tell you._

When the blonde sat up and stretched, Anna gulped again. The view just kept getting better and better. _And it's all mine... I just need to go for it._ She kept watching as Elsa got dressed, feeling a pang of disappointment as clothes covered deliciously pale skin. She was curious to see just what Elsa looked like with nothing on at all...

She blinked, confused, when Elsa sat down in the chair, arching an eyebrow expectantly towards Anna. The redhead blinked, confused. _She's dressed - unfortunately - so what is she... oh! Is she going to watch me?_ "Um..."

"My turn to enjoy the show." Elsa smiled.

Anna flushed. _Okay, I totally set myself up for this one. And well, I don't mind her watching me. I hope she likes what she sees_. She sat up, her feet finding the carpet. She tried to focus on that. It was just another morning. Nothing different. She was going to get up, get dressed. Nothing unusual about that. Nope, just a regular day.

No matter how much she lied to herself, she was very aware of Elsa's eyes following her every move. Part of her wanted to hurry, to throw on the first things she could find. But another part was enjoying the attention. Her girlfriend liked watching her. And she was very okay with that.

* * *

Elsa leaned back, drinking in the sight of Anna getting dressed and trying to pretend that she wasn't blushing fiercely. She loved the freckles, the patterns they made dotting the redhead's skin. Anna was so pretty, she couldn't keep her eyes off her. She giggled softly when the other girl tried to keep her breasts covered. It wasn't like they hadn't spent all last night and this morning topless together, after all...

"What's the plan for today?" Anna asked, her voice muffled by the shirt she was currently pulling over her head.

"It's Saturday, I usually visit Kai and Gerda, at least in the mornings." Elsa hesitated a moment. "Would... would you like to meet them?"

"Really?" Anna brightened. "I'd love to. From what you've told me, they sound amazing."

"Of course. I'm sure they'll love you." Elsa smiled. They would, she knew. Kai and Gerda were probably the nicest people she'd ever met, she was sure they'd take to Anna right away.

"Um, should I wear something nicer then?" The redhead asked.

"The weather's nice today." Elsa considered. "We'll probably be helping Gerda with the garden, so I'd say just wear something comfy."

"I'm... not really good with plants." Anna replied. "I think I once killed one of the plastic plants in my dad's office."

"Then you can be our executive soil engineer." She grinned.

"So you want me to dig holes in the dirt?" The redhead giggled.

"I could always put you in charge of spilling hot chocolate on us." Elsa teased.

"I am never going to live that down, am I?" Anna sighed.

"Well... If you did spill again, we could always go to the spa at Oaken's." She purred. "Get all clean... Anna?" The other girl stared at her blankly, a sappy grin on her face. _Oops, I think I broke my girlfriend_.

"I think I'd like that." The redhead said softly.

"Me too." Elsa breathed.

Anna grinned at her and walked over, taking Elsa's hands and pulling the taller girl into a kiss. She eagerly returned it, her arms wrapping around the redhead. It felt so right, like Anna belonged in her embrace. She was warm and soft and... perfect. All she wanted was to stay there all day, holding and kissing her.

"_Mmmm_..." Anna moaned into the kiss. She pressed her body against Elsa. If this continued, they wouldn't be getting breakfast or even leaving the room. And Elsa was having trouble coming up with any reason why that would be bad right about now...

"Why did we get dressed again?" Anna seemed to read her mind.

"I... stuff to do... food..." Elsa's brain struggled to justify the frustrating presence of their clothes.

"I guess." Anna stepped a bit back from her. "You owe me, though."

Elsa linked her fingers with the redhead's. "I'm sure I can find some way to make it up to you."

* * *

Anna loved the feel of Elsa's long, delicate fingers between her own. The taller girl led her along the path to town, taking a slightly different route from the usual way to Oaken's. The blonde kept stealing glances back at her that she met with happy smiles. She followed her girlfriend, walking closer to her.

Eventually they reached a small house on the edge of town. An older woman waved to them and Elsa waved back. She turned to Anna. "That's Gerda. Kai is probably around here somewhere too."

"Oh wow." Anna waved excitedly to the woman. "She looks just like I imagined. Well, not just like, but close. I mean, I sorta pictured you except older. I had to guess, after all, and you said... okay, please please please stop me if I start babbling like this when I meet her."

"I think it's cute." The blonde grinned at her.

"Elsa..." She pouted.

"Elsa!" The older woman hugged the tall girl, then stepped back and looked Anna over. "Who is your friend?"

"This is Anna, my girlfriend." Anna's heart fluttered at hearing Elsa call her that. "Anna, this is Gerda."

"Ohmygosh, Elsa told me so much about you, it's so nice to meet you." Anna shook Gerda's hand then hugged her, surprising a laugh out of the woman. "I hope this is okay, me coming along like this? She asked me and I sorta said yes, but I know you didn't know I'd be here."

"It's good to meet you too, Anna." The older woman stepped back, looking at the two of them together. "It's so nice to see you and Elsa together. Kai and I have been wanting her to meet someone." Elsa blushed a little at that, but smiled over at Anna. "Why don't you two come over here. I take it Elsa told you about the garden?"

Anna nodded. "It's so pretty. I love seeing flowers like this, I just wish I had some talent for it."

"You can learn." Gerda winked at Elsa. "She killed more than a few plants before she got the hang of it. I'm sure you'll do fine too." Elsa turned even redder at that and Anna hid a giggle. She was sure that she'd end up giving her girlfriend plenty of ammo for teasing soon enough.

Gerda easily settled both of them to helping her with one of her flower beds. It seemed that Elsa's little joke had proved more accurate than she knew, because she was indeed scooping out holes while Elsa prepared the new flowers. While they worked, Gerda talked with her, getting to know her, and she did the same. The older woman loved hearing stories about her childhood and family, chuckling at the trouble Anna had gotten up to as a kid.

When lunchtime rolled around, Gerda brought out some sandwiches and lemonade for them, and they all sat at the table on the patio. Anna sipped the lemonade... _Oh wow!_ "Gerda, this is great!"

"So it's not just chocolate, but all sugar?" Elsa teased.

"Shut up." Anna grinned.

Gerda chuckled at them. "Anna, you definitely need to come around more. I've never seen Elsa so happy. It's about time time, if you ask me."

"She's amazing. I'm so lucky we found each other." She squeezed her girlfriend's hand and smiled over at her. Elsa returned it, sending Anna's heart back into a flutter. Ariel was going to tease her forever, but she had to admit the other redhead had been right. She was so lost, all she wanted was Elsa.

_I love you, Elsa._

* * *

\- _That evening_ -

"_Mmmmmhhhh..._ god, don't stop..." Elsa sighed happily. Anna's fingers continued to massage her shoulders, working out some of the knots in her muscles. The redhead dug in, twisting out a particularly troublesome bump. "You're so good at this."

"I'm liking this too." Anna murmured. "I could touch you all night."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind if you did." Elsa commented contentedly.

"I... uh... Elsa... um..." Anna stuttered. Her hands tensed up on Elsa's shoulders.

She rolled over, staring into the redhead's beautiful green eyes. She pulled Anna down into a gentle kiss. Her tongue grazed the other girl's lips. Leaning back down, she ran her hands along Anna's back. "Don't you want to?"

Anna's faced flared and when she finally did speak, it was a squeak that she could barely hear. "...yes." She gulped and then continued. "But... uh... I've never... I'm not sure... What do I do?"

"I'm... this is my first time, too." Elsa admitted shyly. "But I know I want this."

"Me too." Anna leaned down, kissing her. She kissed along Elsa's jawbone and down her neck. Her hands drifted down to the bottom of Elsa's shirt, curling on the edge of it. Elsa arched her back up from the bed, letting the redhead tug it upward. Anna's fingers drifted along the exposed skin. They stopped at her bra strap, working their way to the clasp. She snapped it open and let the redhead take it off as well. Anna's teeth teased her collarbone, eliciting a soft moan.

The other girl's hand cupped her breast and she sighed happily. Anna gently squeezed her before drifting her fingers towards the nipple. She captured it between her thumb and finger, drawing out a gasp from Elsa. Anna whispered to her. "Beautiful..."

Elsa gripped Anna's upper arms, digging in her fingers. She shivered and looked up at her girlfriend. Anna's face was a mask of desire and love. The redhead dipped down, kissing her breast. She moaned softly as Anna's lips circled her nipple. The other girl's tongue flicked it, sending a deep tremor of pleasure running through her body. Elsa felt her hands pulling at Anna's shirt. She wanted... needed... to touch Anna the same way too. "Anna, can I...?"

Her girlfriend smiled shyly and sat up, letting Elsa tug the shirt over her head. She unclasped the bra and Elsa slipped it off her. She reached up, exploring Anna's amazing breasts with her fingers. "Oh yes."

Anna dipped down, kissing her and nibbling on her lip. Elsa wrapped her arms around the redhead, hugging her tight against her own body. The kiss continued, their tongues probing each other as they held each other. Their bodies pressed closer. Skin against skin. Elsa's hands drifted towards the shorter girl's pants. She fumbled with the button in her haste before finally undoing it and tugging them down. Anna helped her, shimmying the pants off then turning her attention to Elsa's pants too.

She whimpered as the redhead dragged the jeans off her. Anna's hands travelled up her legs, squeezing her ass for a while before her thumbs hooked the edges of her panties. Elsa lifted her head up, meeting the other girl's gaze. She nodded at the question in Anna's eyes, silently giving her permission to remove this final barrier.

* * *

Anna let out a soft moan of desire as she took in Elsa's naked form on the bed. The blonde tried to cover herself briefly before surrendering to Anna's gaze. Every curve, every pale line she'd only imagined now lay exposed before her. She let her eyes linger on her breasts before going lower... lower...

Anna gulped. The gap between Elsa's slender legs filled her with a fire that she couldn't ignore. Her fingers feathered along those amazing legs towards Elsa's lower lips. _I... I'm going to have sex with Elsa._ The thought both cut through her building lust and at the same time stoked the fire even higher. _I want this, but I hope I don't mess this up for us. I mean, it's her first time too..._

Elsa let out a moan, her hands gripping the sheets as Anna's touch reached her down there. She could see clearly that Elsa was already wet from anticipation. One finger brushed along those lips, drawing out a louder gasp of pleasure when they touched her clit. Anna lingered her contact there, rubbing the blonde slowly at first then gradually speeding up. Elsa writhed, her moans growing louder under Anna's ministrations.

After a good while of this, she leaned down, planting a kiss on Elsa's left breast. That broke the dam, sending her girlfriend into orgasm. Anna watched in awe as Elsa cried out, her body shivering. Elsa looked so sexy, so incredibly beautiful right then. _I want..._

As the orgasm faded, she resumed kissing the blonde's body. Her fingers started rubbing Elsa's clit again while her lips worked their way down towards the same spot. She loved the feel of her girlfriend's skin on her lips. Elsa's warmth, the scent of her arousal, the texture of her skin, the taste... Elsa's presence surrounded her, consumed her. She was lost in experiencing every bit of the blonde.

When Anna's kiss reached Elsa's clit, she buckled again, her hips shaking. Her voice was short, emerging between gasps. "Annaaaaaaaaa... Anna!"

The taste of Elsa's arousal was... better than chocolate. She let her tongue explore the blonde's folds, sending her squirming and moaning even more. Anna could feel her own excitement growing as she pleasured Elsa. She worked her tongue down Elsa's slit, gently pushing at her entrance. The blonde had been reduced to incoherent moans and the occaisional whimper of Anna's name.

Anna licked her way back up to Elsa's clit, replacing her tongue with her fingers on the other girl's pussy. Before she could stop herself or freak out or worry or otherwise find some excuse to not continue, she slid one finger inside Elsa, then a second. She was all hot and wet and wonderfully amazing inside. Her walls squeezed Anna's fingers tightly, rippling. "Don't stop, Anna..." Elsa pleaded between moans.

Anna had no intention of stopping now. She needed to make Elsa come again, to feel her orgasm, taste it. She needed to watch her girlfriend buckle and cry out again. She needed make sure Elsa knew on a level beyond words that they were meant to be together like this.

She needed Elsa.

She curled and flexed her fingers inside Elsa, experimenting to find the best ways and spots to drive her wild. The blonde responded to her movements, her moist heat pulsing around Anna's questing digits. Elsa's hips thrust towards her, taking her fingers deeper inside. A fierce jolt of desire shot through Anna as her own wetness built rapidly. She could tell that Elsa was close once more.

Anna slid her fingers out, licking her way down Elsa's slit once more. The blonde's fingers dug into Anna's shoulders as her tongue slid inside Elsa's core. She could feel the soft contractions of those warm wet walls. She pushed her tongue in deeper, the scent and taste of Elsa filling her senses.

Elsa shuddered, her legs closing against Anna's head as she arched her back and came. The loud cry that escaped her as she orgasmed accompanied a flood of her passion that Anna eagerly tasted. One of Elsa's hands tangled in her hair, pulling Anna in even closer. She kept her tongue in place, letting the other girl ride out her orgasm.

When Elsa finally released her grip on Anna's head, she looked up, meeting those enchanting blue eyes staring unfocused down at her. Her chest heaved, those tantalizing breasts rising and falling. _Okay, I guess I did good..._

Anna let Elsa pull her up into a tired embrace. She felt her girlfriend's nipples pressing against her own as her mouth descended on Elsa's. Their tongues met as they kissed passionately.

* * *

Elsa was tired, but the feel of Anna's lips on hers brought her back from the pleasant daze her orgasms had left her in. There was a faint taste that wasn't Anna and when she realized what it had to be, she knew she had to be blushing. At the same time, it got her wondering. She wanted to taste Anna, to know her the same way as the redhead had done. She wanted to make love to her, to be her first too.

She gathered Anna in her arms, rolling them over on the bed until she was on top of her girlfriend. She let her eyes wander down the redhead's gorgeous body, drinking in the sight of every curve, the swell of her breasts, those hips, the thoroughly soaked panties that was the only piece of clothing Anna still had on. The redhead shyly tried to block Elsa's hands from reaching for them. "You... you don't have to, Elsa."

"Yes I do." Elsa replied huskily. "I want you, Anna. I want you so much." She leaned down, planting a kiss on her collarbone. "I need you." Another kiss, this time on Anna's soft breast near the nipple. "I want to do this." Her hands hooked in the sides of Anna's panties. She met her girlfriend's gaze. "I love you."

"You... love me?" Anna's voice was hopeful, excited.

"I love you, Anna." She confessed.

The redhead's grin nearly split her face. "I love you too, Elsa."

Elsa's heart fluttered. She knew her own smile must be equally large. "Then please, let me make love to you too."

Anna nodded silently and let Elsa move her hands away and pull down her panties. "Beautiful..." She whispered.

She feathered her fingers along Anna's body, aching to explore her freckles and curves. She leaned down, resuming her kisses, this time on her taut stomach. Her fingers brushed the neatly trimmed patch of hair above Anna's core, moving slowly up and down along the already-wet slit. The redhead gasped. "Elsa..."

Elsa kissed Anna's inner thigh, then her mound. She was so close to her goal, but forced herself to slow down and take her time. This was for Anna. She wanted to make this perfect for her. "Anna, you're so amazing."

The redhead's fingers dug into her shoulders, the nails undoubtedly leaving scratches. "Elsa, please..."

Elsa wasn't quite sure what Anna was asking for, so she decided to keep up what she was doing. Her finger continued its travels on Anna's slit, brushing her clit at the apex of each cycle. The redhead whimpered and moaned whenever she reached the sensitive bud, her body twitching. She could smell the tantalizing aroma of Anna's arousal that accompanied her growing wetness.

When Anna clutched her shoulders again, this time even harder, she knew the other girl had to be close. Elsa kept rubbing her, playing with her, but slid up on the bed so she could look down at Anna as she neared her climax. The redhead twisted, seemingly trying to hide. "Don't... _aaaaahhhh..._ don't watch..."

"I want to." Elsa replied quietly. She sent a second finger to join the first on Anna's clit. "Please, Anna."

"Elsaaaaaaaa..." Anna arched her back. She panted, her body shivering as she tried to hold back. She squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered again. "Elsa, yes!"

Elsa stared down as the redhead crested, her orgasm shaking her body. Her thighs clenched shut, trapping Elsa's hand as she shook and cried out. _So beautiful..._ Anna's orgasm finally waned, her breathing slowly getting a semblance of control. The redhead smiled tired, happy, contented. "Elsa..."

She leaned down to kiss her, her lips eagerly seeking out Anna's. She kissed her way from the mouth along Anna's jaw, down that slender neck to her collarbone, biting at it lightly. She worked her way lower once more, this time not stopping. She sought out Anna's wetness, her tongue eagerly exploring the redhead's slit. Anna tasted... incredible.

Elsa knew when she hit the right spot, because Anna's legs trembled and shook. The redhead gasped, her hand tangling in Elsa's hair, freeing several strands from her braid. Those fingers pulled at her head, urging Elsa in closer. She let her girlfriend guide her, eager to please her. When her tongue slipped deeper inside Anna's core, the redhead moaned loudly, arching her back. "E-Ellllssssaaaaaaa..."

She reached up, her finger seeking out Anna's clit once more. She rubbed the sensitive nub as she kept pleasuring her core. When it seemed like the redhead was getting close, she slowed down, wanting to make this last as long as possible. Eventually, Anna's pleasure overflowed once more, and as the orgasm shook her body, Elsa let herself taste the sweet honey.

Anna panted, small shivers running through her body as she tried to recover. Once she could focus better, Elsa removed her tongue from Anna's pussy, replacing it with her fingers at the entrance. The redhead looked up, having noticed the change. Her voice was quiet, nervous. "Elsa, are you...?"

"Can I...?"

Anna gulped and nodded, smiling shyly. "... yes."

It was Elsa's turn to gulp. She cautiously pressed at the redhead's entrance, going slow at first before slipping one finger inside, then a second. Anna was so tight and hot and wet. Her walls gripped Elsa's fingers, that wonderful soft roughness squeezing and rippling on her. She let Anna get used to their presence, then started to move them.

Once again, she watched Anna, trying to find the best spots to stimulate, wanting to make this as perfect as possible for the redhead. Of course, the moans and sighs were making concentrating a bit difficult at the moment. Anna could be distracting - in a good way - most of the time, but right now, she was simply enchanting. Her girlfriend was... Perfect. She loved every freckle, every stray red hair escaping the twin braids, every bit of pale skin, those amazing green eyes... She wanted to explore them all.

Anna moaned again, her velvety walls tightening around Elsa's fingers. She was sopping wet. From the fluttering of her core, Elsa knew the other girl wouldn't last much longer. She worked her fingers in just a little deeper, wriggling them. Anna's hands dug into the bed, bunching the sheets, her back arching off the mattress. She quivered. "Elsaaaaaaa!"

"Oh, Anna..." Elsa whispered reverently.

When her orgasm finally passed, Anna gently pulled Elsa up to her, embracing her tiredly. Their lips met as they kissed eagerly. Elsa stared down into her girlfriend's eyes. "I love you, Anna."

"I love you too, Elsa." Anna shifted, letting Elsa cuddle up against her. "Stay with me tonight?"

"There's nowhere I'd rather be." She planted a kiss on Anna's collarbone.

* * *

Once again, Anna found herself waking up with Elsa tucked in beside her. It was late in the morning, but from her deep breathing, it didn't seem like the blonde would be up any time soon. Anna blushed, vividly remembering most of the events of the previous night.

She and Elsa had ended up spending most of the night making love. She had lost track of the number of times they'd had sex, but they'd only stopped when they were both thoroughly exhausted. Falling asleep together after that had been... _'intimate', 'caring' 'loving' _were the only words Anna could come up with to describe it, and those were nowhere near good enough for how Anna felt at the moment.

Elsa made her feel complete.

_"I love you, Anna." "I love you too, Elsa."_

She nuzzled the blonde's neck, inhaling deeply. Elsa smelled so good, like a winter morning after a fresh snowfall. She kissed the taller girl's jawline, revelling in how Elsa unconsciously snuggled in closer to her, her slim arm tightening around Anna. Anna shifted a little, loving how perfectly Elsa's body fit in against hers. Her own arm found the blonde's waist, her hand settling on the shapely hip. Elsa's soft skin was warm and comforting on hers.

_'Thud thud thud'_ The brisk rap on the door brought her out of simply enjoying Elsa's presence against her. Elsa stirred in her sleep, mumbling incoherently. Anna sighed, silently cursing whoever had the horrible timing to disturb them at - she checked her clock - eleven in the morning.

Tugging on a robe, she made her way to the door and opened it a sliver, glaring at Kristoff. "Kris, what are you doing here?"

The shaggy boy averted his eyes from her, hiding a blush. "Ah... Weselton got back at last and was looking for Elsa. And, um... I sorta figured it was better that I find her than him. You two were... pretty loud last night."

"Oh." 'Oh' was the best she could do, considering how red she had to be at the moment. "Kris..."

"I'm happy for you two, really." He smiled widely. "You guys deserve it."

"Thanks." She grinned. "So, I guess I'll get Elsa up." She paused. "Um, Kris... I think I need some advice."

"Yeah?" He asked.

Anna closed the door gently, looking around to make sure no one else was nearby. "I... Ah, how do I tell my parents about, well, you know..." She shrugged. "Me and Elsa. It's not a conversation I ever really pictured having with them."

He pondered that a moment. "Well, normally I'd say ask Elsa, since she's pretty 'out', but considering what happened with her and her parents... yeah..."

"I know." Anna commented quietly.

"I guess just be honest with them. It might take them some time to adjust, but if they love you, they'll be okay with it. Besides, Elsa's awesome, once they meet her, they're gonna love her."

"She is." Anna agreed. "It's just a little scary is all."

"You'll do fine, Anna." Her friend smiled. "Anyway, make sure Elsa gets up and about so Weselton can see her some time today. And if you guys want to join me, I'll be getting lunch in an hour or so."

"Sounds good." She waved. "I'll go get Elsa up."

"Seeya, Anna."

She shut the door and returned to the bed. Elsa was still asleep, though she showed signs of stirring. Anna shook her shoulder gently, causing the blonde to roll towards her and latch on her arm sleepily. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at Anna. Anna leaned down and kissed the taller girl. "Good morning."

"Hi." Elsa took her hand and linked their fingers together.

"You need to get up, Elsa. Apparently Weselton is looking for you and Kris wanted to warn us to get moving."

"Mmmm... I guess." Elsa pouted. _She even looks sexy doing that_...

As Elsa busied herself dressing, Anna walked up behind her, draping her arms over the taller girl's shoulders. She spoke quietly in the other girl's ear. "Thank you."

"For what?" The blonde had paused dressing.

"For last night." She kissed Elsa's collarbone. "You... I never imagined... Thank you for making my first so perfect."

"I should say the same to you." The taller girl whispered back.

"I love you, Elsa." Anna's lips circled Elsa's pulse point, causing her breath to hitch.

"I- I love you too, Anna." The blonde replied huskily. She shivered slightly under the touch of Anna's lips. She took an unsteady step forward, picking up her shirt from the floor.

They both got dressed, sneaking glances at each other as they did so. When they were ready, Elsa took her hand and led them out of the room and towards the break room. Anna laced her fingers with the blonde's, enjoying how well they fit together. By the time they met up with Kristoff outside the small break area, Anna was leaning against the taller girl as they walked.

"Good morning, you two." The shaggy boy greeted them. "A few more minutes, and it'd be good afternoon."

"Hi Kris." Elsa reddened slightly.

"Glad you guys could join me." He sat down at the table, waving to the chairs across for him. "So you two are official then?"

"Yes." Both girls spoke at the same time, smiling at each other as they did so.

* * *

"...thank you for joining me today." Hans kept his voice even, not wanting to give his guest any opening. For over a month he'd been preparing for this meeting and somehow he still didn't feel ready. "There's a small matter I'd like to discuss."

"Of course, Hans." Yzma's smile was just too smug for his liking. He was sure she had no idea what he was up to, but he still didn't like her confidence. "What did you want to discuss?"

"Oh, nothing much. I've just had some time recently to think about things."

"Thinking is good. Maybe you could teach Kronk one of these days. He tries, but he always seems to end up hurting himself." As she talked, Hans found he couldn't stop watching a small piece of... spinach? ... lettuce? ...something green anyway that was stuck in her teeth. It was almost hypnotic how gross it was.

"Yes... well..." He tried to get his thoughts back on track. "It's interesting. I've had to reconsider things that for a long time I thought were simply old family legends."

"I'm sure. I am a little curious what might be so fascinating that you'd contact me about it. Especially given how... _chilly_... dealings with your family has been for a while." Yzma still smiled at him, but she didn't sound as confident as she had a little before.

"Oh, I know Grandfather had his differences with you." Hans waved it off. "But he was kind enough to keep careful notes on every meeting, every story."

Her smile thinned even more. "I'm sure he did. He was so stuffy and full of himself. Very detail oriented."

"He was an annoying old perfectionist." Hans grinned. "However, he did pass along his key to the family safe deposit box." He held it out for her to see. "And you would not believe what he kept in there."

"I'm sure it's fascinating for you, but I have more to do than watch you pore over old family junk." She rose from her chair. "If you'll excuse me, I have important things to-"

The silence when he set the darkly glittering vial on the table was just as satisfying as he'd imagined it would be. When he'd first read the old journals left by his ancestor, the accounts of magic powers, potions and monsters had seemed nothing more than stories. Then he'd opened the box the first time and found the vial. He might have written it off as a trick, but there was something more to it, something he couldn't describe outside of... well, magic. Then his trip to visit Anna made things clearer. The Elsa he met there was almost identical to the one in the drawings his ancestor had stolen. And the way the weather had changed...

All those clues led to now. He had gone back to the bank and retrieved the vial from the family safe deposit box. If Yzma really had made it, it might explain the unhealthy interest she'd shown his family. From her reaction, it was true. Her eyes remained glued on it, though she made no move to reach for it. "So."

"So." He echoed. "I take it you know what this is." He pulled his ancestor's journal out and placed it beside the vial. "And thanks to the first Hans, I do too. I didn't believe it at first, you know. I thought, 'there's no way you could be the Yzma from the old family stories. Magic doesn't exist, after all.' Then I met Anna, who is pretty much identical to the woman my ancestor wrote about. I was fascinated."

Ymza remained silent, but Hans saw the tension at the corners of her eyes and so he kept going. "Imagine my surprise when, a year later, I meet an Elsa who matches _exactly_ the Elsa from the sketches he added to his journal. Even more surprising, the weather matched her moods, or seemed to."

"Coincidence." Yzma's eyes twitched between him and the vial.

"Still, I have to wonder, if this is all just a big coincidence, then why do you care so much about what happens to my family?" He didn't let her answer. "No, it can't be just that. You've been... _guiding..._ us for too long. You like being the power behind the throne, as it were. But why stick with us when there have to be better options?"

Silence greeted his question. He hadn't expected her to answer, but a part of him hoped. He pressed on.

"This." He tapped the vial. "I put the pieces together with what I saw at Arendelle. Something went wrong. Something caused a castle to get frozen, lost for centuries. You gave this to the first Hans, but it didn't work like you intended. You needed to know what happened. What he might have passed along or left behind." He glanced meaningfully towards the potion. "That leaves just one question."

"What happens now?" Yzma asked softly.

"Exactly." Hans picked it up, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. "You see, one thing always bothered me. Why would you give him something that could steal magic? I mean, he never trusted you, so what would stop him from using it on you?

"Plus, while it clearly did something to the original Elsa's magic, it was not what you or he intended. I guess you didn't expect him to only use half of it. It must not have been strong enough to work as intended."

Yzma shifted in her seat, her grin sick and weak now, but Hans continued. He had to finish this. "It also explains why you made the long treck from the Southern Isles to Arendelle. You could just as easily have sent a courier. But no, you went in person."

He set the vial down on the table in front of him. "You needed to be close. This would have stolen Elsa's power, but you never intended for the original Hans to get it. You just needed him to get close enough to her to start ripping it out of her. It was always meant to send it to you. But... Half a potion only worked halfway. It pulled her power out and stopped there, leaving it spiraling out of her control. You never got to take it."

Hans picked up the journal. "He was too greedy, too desperate. He tried to take over two countries and ended up posthumously banished and disowned instead. Meanwhile, you've hovered over my family ever since then, worried that someone would figure out that we have a way to steal a person's magic."

"What are you going to do?" Yzma asked tightly. "If you've figured this much out, you must know that half of it would only produce unexpected results. Not to mention, I have no idea what it will do after two hundred and fifty years. You obviously want something, so just tell me already."

"You think I'm going to blackmail you?" Hans shook his head. "No, I don't trust you, Yzma. I want you gone. Leave me... leave my family alone."

"Then..." She nodded down at the vial. "About that..."

"I could lock it up again, but that wouldn't solve anything." He picked up the vial and stood up. "You'd just wait until I died to bother my kids, or maybe you'd try to kill me for it one day. Or even tell our distant relatives about it, stir up more trouble, I don't know. The only sure thing is I can't keep it. And I certainly can't trust you with it. So that leaves just one option..." He walked towards the balcony and popped the cork, staring out at the city skyline. He could hear Yzma's gulp, even as he caught her hasty advance towards him.

When she was almost in reach of him, he turned towards her, locking eyes with the old woman. She froze in place, waiting for him to act. For a long, long moment, they stood there, until Hans raised the vial...

"I'm setting myself free."

... and poured it over the edge.

* * *

\- _one week later_ -

Anna snuggled up against Elsa, shifting so the blonde's arm rested comfortably on her waist. Her girlfriend's other hand was busy making ice trails appear on the nearby window. Practice, she called it. "That is so beautiful, Elsa."

"Thanks." Elsa murmured. In the past week, they'd both been kept pretty busy, Anna with her studies while Elsa caught up on her work. Now that everything was done, at least until Monday, they were relaxing in Elsa's room for a bit, taking advantage of some alone time before movie night later that evening. "Do we really have to go tonight?"

"It's Kristoff's turn to pick, and he asked us to go. I think he wants to make sure we're not just spending all our time..." Anna blushed. "...you know..."

"He's just going to show another _Fast and Furious_ movie. He always picks stuff like that on his nights." Elsa sighed. She leaned down and planted and kiss on Anna's head. "Besides, I thought you liked some quality 'you know' time..."

"Well... Elsa..." Anna gulped "...after...?"

Another kiss and a giggle. "Gladly."

She relaxed against her girlfriend, noting yet again how good Elsa felt. _Maybe skipping the movie wouldn't be so bad... No, bad Anna! I promised Kris we'd be there._ She cuddled closer. "I really don't want to get up, but I should probably grab some things before the movie, so I don't have to get them later."

"Yeah..." Elsa replied distantly. "Anna...?"

"Yes?" Anna sat up a bit at Elsa's tone - the blonde sounded serious.

"You could... why don't you just keep some things here then?" Elsa asked nervously. Anna froze in place. _She's asking me to move in?_ The blonde must have realized what she was thinking because she shook her head. "Too soon?"

"I will." _Ohmygod... yes! _She hugged the other girl. "I... yes, Elsa!"

"Sorry if I surprised you, but I just kinda... I like waking up with you, Anna." The taller girl returned the hug. "I want to do it more."

"Me too." She nestled back against Elsa. "I think you're my new favorite pillow."

"Glad to be useful." Anna could feel the blonde's soft laugh.

They sat there for a while before getting up and readying themselves for the evening. Anna did end up grabbing some clothes from her room, putting them in a drawer Elsa must have emptied just for her. She smiled at her girlfriend. _I love you so much_.

Kristoff greeted them happily, waving them over to where he'd saved them seats. Anna's stomach fluttered when Elsa kept holding her hand, settling beside her in a way that made it clear that they were together. There were a few glances their way, and more than one supportive smile or nod.

* * *

_\- The next weekend_ -

"You sure about this?" Elsa asked, eyeing the redhead as they approached Oaken's Inn. "I mean, really sure? What if we get caught?"

"Elsa, I've _dreamed_ about this... well, since the time we were here after the dry cleaners. I mean, God, you looked so hot in that towel..." A dreamy look floated across Anna's face. The glance she shot at Elsa was... '_steamy'_ was probably the right word, considering.

"You were some pretty nice scenery, yourself." Elsa grinned. She let her eyes drift slowly up and down Anna's body, and made sure that the redhead saw her doing it.

"Anyway... I mighthavesortahadadreamaboutthis..." Anna squeaked. She turned bright red. "And I sorta have been thinking about it since then, for the past few days..."

Elsa blushed too. "I, ah, I may have had some dreams like that myself."

"Oh?" A sly smile crossed the redhead's face. "Tell me about them."

"I might, some day." She teased, then leaned over to kiss the shorter girl's cheek. "But today is your day. So why don't you tell me about this dream of yours."

"Nuh uh." Anna smirked. "I'd rather show you."

Elsa was saved from responding to that by Oaken, who waved to them from the porch. "Hoo hoo! Anna! Elsa! Good to see you!"

"Hi Oaken!" Anna waved back. Elsa added her own greeting.

"What brings you girls out here today?" The big man held the door, escorting them inside.

"We, uh, we wanted to unwind some." Anna told him. "Is one of the saunas free today?"

"Oh yes, they're all quite empty. Tourist season hasn't hit yet but winter is over, so it's been pretty quiet around here recently." The big man shrugged then brightened. "Take your pick and I'll let Andre know that he'll need to have some hot chocolate ready for later." He winked at Anna.

"Don't say a word." She whispered to Elsa, who was fighting a grin.

"About what?" She tried to look innocent.

"Elsa..." The redhead growled.

"Oh look, there's our sauna. I guess I should get changed and get a _towel_..." Elsa purred the last word.

"Not fair." Anna pouted. _She looks so sexy when she does that._

Elsa made sure to take her time undressing, letting Anna catch glances of her. Sure, they spent nearly every night together now, but there was something exciting about teasing her girlfriend like this. Besides, she got to take peeks of her own...

When they both had their towels on, they headed for their chosen sauna. Elsa picked the one on the end, the most private one, and locked the door behind herself once they were both inside. She seated herself on one side of the "L" benches while Anna took the other. "So... tell me about this dream of yours..."

"Well, we're in the sauna, just like now, and your towel starts to slip..."

* * *

\- _End_ -

* * *

_A/N 1: Yes, there will be an epilogue._

_A/N 2: So yeah, the thing with Modern!Hans was in my mind from the start. He's still not a nice guy, but he's ended the cycle. And with Elsa and Anna choosing to be happy together, everyone has another chance. If - and I do mean 'if' at the moment - there is ever a sequel, it'll deal with what happens now that Yzma's potion isn't interfering with Elsa's magic anymore._

* * *

_As always, a big thank you to everyone who supported me on this! I really enjoyed writing it, and I intend to keep writing more. As promised, there will be an epilogue, and I already have another project in mind._


End file.
